Empower the next generation of Chicago music professionals

We’re a group of DJs, music producers, record label and business owners who aim to pay homage to House music in Chicago and all it has done for the city, the United States, and culture in the world at large.

John Rynecki is a professional DJ, music producer, and event promoter from Chicago and Panama on a mission to give back and inspire through the benefits of electronic dance music. Nikhil Gidwani is the Co-Founder and Label Head of Aathee Records and has been an active member and contributor to the house, techno, and electronic scene for a decade. Matt Pest is a Chicago-based DJ and tech entrepreneur with a passion for innovation, technology, and music; he is the founder of the Blox Office event ticket platform and co-founder of Gateway Sound Collective.

The three of us came together last August with the same idea - our industry is growing, and there are more music professionals in electronic music than ever before - there needs to be an event here in Chicago to promote collaboration and sharing of knowledge to artists and professionals across our scene.

We’ve taken it upon ourselves to organize an event called Chicago Electronic Music Conference (CEMC), scheduled for April 2025. Organized by local artists and promoters, this two-day event is designed to support, enable, connect, and inspire electronic music industry professionals in Chicago and beyond. We want to give back to the scene we know and love and need the help of our community to make it as successful as possible.

Our scene for a long time has been a competitive place where knowledge and experience have only existed in silos. Gatekeeping, cliques, and burnout are common among many artists and promoters due to a lack of experience, funding, or support.

Other than doing and learning through trial and error, which can be costly in terms of finances and energy, there are few means of learning in an educational setting as an electronic music professional in Chicago. The biggest events in the electronic music industry for education and networking are in Miami (Winter Music Conference), Amsterdam (Amsterdam Dance Event), and Ibiza (International Music Summit), these conferences are fairly expensive to travel to and attend for a local artist. We aim to make the relevant industry knowledge, experience, and opportunities accessible and bring it closer to home.

Currently, there are two ways we are seeking assistance, we’re accepting donations through this GoFundMe, and additionally, we have a standardized contract for potential investors. Please reach out to us directly if you’d like to work together on this one-of-a-kind event. Funds will be used to pay for the venue, and any additional funds will go toward programming and marketing expenses.

This is a dream project for all of us on the team. We've benefitted immensely from collaboration, mentorship, and networking in Chicago's electronic dance music scene. We want to give Chicago artists a voice and the means to empower them to pursue their dreams. Thank you for your time! We're excited and grateful to be putting on this event with your support.