MCCF to Present a Pitch at Venture Café Fukuoka, Featuring a Report on Its UK Initiatives and a Conversation with Special Guests
The Music City Council of Fukuoka, which promotes the music industry and music-led city development in the Fukuoka area, will present a pitch session at Thursday Gathering #78, an event operated by Venture Café Fukuoka, on Thursday, July 23.
Under the title “Music Crosses Borders with Ease: An Introduction to the Music City Council of Fukuoka,” the session will highlight BEYONDERS, an MCCF project in which musicians from Fukuoka and overseas co-write songs, and introduce its work with partners in Asia and the United Kingdom. BEYONDERS Vol. 4, held in February, brought participants together with a music team from northern England to co-write the song “In Time,” released digitally on July 3. The project extended beyond songwriting: Fukuoka singer-songwriter Momoko Iwasaki performed in London and Newcastle with support from the UK music-development organization Generator. Iwasaki will join the pitch remotely to report on her UK tour and recent activities.
The following pitch will serve as the kickoff event for Fukuoka Music Month 2026, a Music City Fukuoka project that connects multiple music festivals held across the city each September and promotes the message that every week in September is a music celebration in Fukuoka. Representatives of festivals including Nakasu Jazz and Music City Tenjin will introduce this year’s highlights. Tony Elison, Representative Director of Spotify Japan, will also join Kenjiro Fukamachi, General Producer of Fukuoka Music Month, for a special conversation. Spotify has collaborated with Fukuoka Music Month on projects since last year.
Alongside the event, MCCF will hold its OTOJIRO MEET UP PARTY and provide a networking area to encourage exchange among music businesses in the Fukuoka area and participants from a wide range of industries.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Event details
Title: Thursday Gathering #78 Fukuoka Creative & Entertainment Crossing
Date and time: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 4:00–8:30 p.m.
Venue: Sky Lobby, 6F/7F, ONE FUKUOKA BLDG., 1-11-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
Admission: Free; advance registration required
A session co-hosted by Global Connect Fukuoka and Round One Japan is scheduled for 4:00–4:50 p.m.
Schedule
5:30–6:20 p.m. / Session: “Music Crosses Borders with Ease: An Introduction to the Music City Council of Fukuoka”
5:50 p.m. / Momoko Iwasaki UK Tour Report
Guest: Momoko Iwasaki, singer-songwriter, appearing remotely
Speakers: Music City Council of Fukuoka — Kenjiro Fukamachi, Shinya Matsuo, Soki Takeuchi, and Ibuki Tomita
6:30–7:20 p.m. / Session: “Fukuoka Music Month 2026 Kickoff Event”
6:55 p.m. / Special Conversation: “What Fukuoka Music Month × Spotify Aims to Achieve”
Guest: Tony Elison, Representative Director, Spotify Japan K.K.
Moderator: Kenjiro Fukamachi, Chair, Fukuoka Music Month Organizers’ Committee
Speakers: Representatives of seven Fukuoka Music Month festivals, Kenjiro Fukamachi, and Shinya Matsuo
7:30–8:30 p.m. / OTOJIRO MEET UP PARTY at the CIC Fukuoka Entrance Plaza Area
DJ: Hibiki Tokiwa, BAYFES Eve resident DJ
Guest profiles
Momoko Iwasaki, singer-songwriter
A singer-songwriter from Okayama who lives in Fukuoka. She delivers words shaped by her distinctive perspective through melodies and a voice in which strength and vulnerability shimmer together. Her work crosses genres and borders with ease, including successful performances in London and Newcastle. She released her long-awaited first full-length album, Pikapika, digitally on May 20, 2026.
Tony Elison, Representative Director, Spotify Japan K.K.
As Representative Director of Spotify Japan, Tony Elison oversees strategy and business operations in the Japanese market. Before joining Spotify, he held roles at MTV, Nintendo of America, Google/YouTube, and The Walt Disney Company Japan. He has advanced media, content, and technology businesses across Japan, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific region for more than 25 years.
