From left: Isaac Flynn of the Kansas City-based band Hembree, Katlyn Conroy of Lawrence's La Guerre, Bill Sundahl of Kansas City's KKFI 90.1 FM, and Whatever Forever Tapes co-founder Rolf Petermann participate in a panel during the 2015 MixMaster music conference. This year's conference will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.

Trying to carve out a career as a young musician in the age of do-it-yourself culture can be as overwhelming as it is empowering, says Nick Carswell, of the Lawrence-based indie-rock band Carswell & Hope.

That’s why it’s important, especially now as the industry continues to reinvent itself, for musicians to talk to each other, he says. Upwards of 100 artists, bookers, radio DJs, promoters and other music professionals will be doing just that at this weekend’s third annual MixMaster music conference.

This year’s free conference, hosted by the Lawrence Public Library and supported by a $3,200 grant through the Lawrence Public Library Foundation, will be preceded by a series of production workshops from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the library’s Sound + Vision Studio, 707 Vermont St.

“There aren’t too many outlets or opportunities for artists in the industry to connect,” says Carswell, whose independent music collective, Silly Goose Records, has spearheaded the conference since its beginnings in 2014. “While we’re used to seeing each other at gigs or concerts, there are very few trade shows and conferences that put us together during the day in a comfortable space.”

MixMaster, he points out, is not the merch table in the back of the bar. The idea is to arm local musicians (all skill and experience levels are welcome, Carswell says) with the resources they need to succeed. Oftentimes, that starts by simply putting them in the same room with each other.

The conference, slated for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, connects artists with established industry professionals, and offers workshops on everything from copyright and legal issues to lessons on how to book gigs and get your music on the radio.

It’s all hosted in a “very positive, welcoming environment with everyone having the ultimate goal of getting better music out there,” says Carswell. “And learning together and sharing together also ensures better business practices.”

Other activities on the lineup include a “demo dip” (in which a panel of experts will offer critiques after reaching into a hat and listening to each randomly selected demo for exactly one minute) at 4 p.m. Saturday and a songwriter night at 7 p.m. Friday at Five Bar and Tables, 947 Massachusetts St. All events are free.

Registration for the conference is recommended but not required, and walk-ins are welcome at any time, Carswell says.

Like the similar Artists Inc. program, which teaches entrepreneurial skills to artists of all disciplines (Carswell is a local facilitator) and this year is partnering with the conference, Carswell hopes MixMaster will have a “long-lasting effect” on the Lawrence music community.

He’s already witnessed collaborations between artists who met at the first two conferences.

“We’ve seen the results anecdotally or just personally,” he says. “We know that these connections are really valuable and really do advance people’s careers.”

For more information on MixMaster, including a full schedule of events, visit www.SillyGooseRecords.com.