Merch Cat

What a fantastic time at our New York Music Month event! 🎶

Thank you to everyone who joined us for The Modern Artist Merch Strategy workshop!

We talked merch strategy, fan engagement, community building, selling channels, pricing, and more. But the best part was seeing artists actively work through the interactive exercise, share ideas with one another, and continue those conversations into the networking portion of the event.

Huge thanks to Jennifer Sullivan (KiTbetter), Crystal Gans (Mind Our Music), the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, DROM, and everyone who joined us.

Merch is more than revenue. It’s a way to build deeper connections with fans, strengthen communities, and create more sustainable artist businesses. ❤️

Meet the speakers joining us for The Modern Artist Merch Strategy during New York Music Month! ➡️

🎤 Vanessa Ferrer – Founder & CEO of Merch Cat. A former artist manager, Vanessa has spent more than a decade helping artists build sustainable careers through live music, merchandise, and fan engagement.

🎤 Crystal Gans – Founder of Mind Our Music and manager of Raynes, specializing in artist development, branding, audience growth, and meaningful fan connections.

🎤 Jennifer Sullivan – CMO & President, North America at KiTbetter and a longtime music marketing executive focused on fandom, fan engagement, physical products, and innovative artist-to-fan experiences.

Together, they’ll explore how artists can strengthen fan relationships, create more effective merch experiences, and build sustainable revenue streams across live shows, online channels, and fan communities.

📍 Drom NYC
📅 June 10, 2026
⏰ 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
🎟️ Free
🔗 Link in bio

Hope to see you there!

Excited to be part of NY Music Month once again with our workshop, The Modern Artist Merch Strategy, presented in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

Join Merch Cat Founder alongside of Mind Our Music/ and of .better for an interactive conversation exploring:

🎨 Branding and artist identity
🤝 Building deeper fan connections
🎤 Live show merch strategy
💻 Online merch opportunities
📈 The evolving role merch plays in today’s artist business

We’ll also wrap the evening with a networking mixer for artists and industry professionals to connect and continue the conversation.

NYC friends! We’d love to see you there! ⚡️

RSVP at the link in bio.

LiveMusic

The Band of Horses merch table last week was one of the best we’ve seen lately.

👀 Spotted at the show and had to share:

☑️ On brand
☑️ Variety of items and price points
☑️ Wearable logo staples (an easy yes for fans)
☑️ Clean, organized display

If you’re planning merch for tour, this is a solid checklist ☑️

Great example of a strong merch strategy in action👏

Austin, we’re coming back!! 🙌🎸

SXSW is almost here, and we’re excited to have our founder returning as a mentor for the third year in a row.

After sharing a preview of what’s next at Merch Cat, including our upcoming Luminate integration, this year feels especially meaningful.

If you’re a manager, artist, or industry partner heading to Austin and want to talk tour season, merch, or reporting, let’s connect.

Drop a 🎤 or DM us to set up time. See you at SXSW 🤘

Touring in 2026? Start merch-ready.

Onboarding in Merch Cat takes just 3 steps:
Enter your inventory, import shows from Bandsintown, log in to Square — and you’re live.

🎁 7 days on us with code MC2026

This week, we had the privilege of visiting Daniel’s Music Foundation in East Harlem — a truly special place providing free inclusive music programs for individuals with disabilities. 🎶💙

DMF was founded after Daniel, then 12, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and fell into a coma. Music became a key part of his healing and recovery, inspiring his family to create a community where everyone can experience the power of music.

Beyond touring their vibrant, accessible facility, we spent time brainstorming how merch can help amplify their mission, build awareness, and strengthen community pride around the incredible work they do every day.

We’re grateful for the introduction to this amazing organization through The Recording Academy’s NY Chapter and the Danny Awards, and even more grateful for the opportunity to support a mission so rooted in impact, inclusion, and the joy of music.

Learn more: