Arlington Music Friendly Community Committee Announces First Speaker Series
By Levitt Pavilion Communications
Posted on March 04, 2021, March 04, 2021

Ben Smithee

Music professionals are often so busy making music that they forget to work on what gets them noticed and generates fans.

That’s where the Arlington Music Friendly Community Advisory Committee can help by making resources available to music professionals in Arlington and across the state. The group’s first Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, features Ben Smithee, University of Texas at Arlington alum and CEO of The Smithee Group in New York City. Smithee’s talk, The Digital Future – How to Succeed in the Digital Ecosystem Where All Musicians are Marketers, is free via Zoom to anyone who wants to attend.

Participants need to register for the event by clicking here or on Levitt Pavilion Arlington’s website, levittpavilionarlington.org. Once registered, they will receive a confirmation with the Zoom link for Smithee’s session.

In an age where everything is digital-first and mobile-minded, Smithee will discuss what it takes to succeed in the world of music.

“Today, everyone must think like a marketer and understand what it takes to build a successful brand with digital content and social media,” Smithee said in describing his session. “There is more opportunity than ever to build awareness, create loyal fans and drive business opportunities by leveraging your musical genius.”

Participants will leave equipped with the next steps to grow their brand, awareness and business.

As CEO of The Smithee Group, Smithee is one of the leading voices in digital marketing, advertising and social media and has experience building brands and driving strategy for companies, such as General Mills, Coca-Cola, EA Games, McDonald’s and Salesforce. His team at TSG helps businesses and people develop brands that drive revenue and growth through engaging digital marketing and advertising. During his time as a business major at UTA, Smithee played jazz saxophone in the UTA Jazz Orchestra and jazz groups under the direction of Tim Ishii and Dan Cavanagh.

The Speaker Series is sponsored by the City of Arlington, the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, UTA and Levitt Pavilion Arlington. It is the first public event hosted by the Arlington Music Friendly Community Advisory Committee after the city received its official designation in December. The group is committed to celebrating Arlington’s rich legacy of music while connecting, developing and growing our music ecosystem through programs and resources.

Levitt Pavilion, UT Arlington
News, Headlines, Community, Education