Manchester’s music economy is second only to London in size and impact according to a new report carried out on behalf of Manchester City Council. Published this week, and based on research conducted by Sound Diplomacy and Nordicity, the report found Manchester’s music ecosystem to be a major contributor to the city’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs and attracting a significant number of music tourists.
In 2019, the live music sector generated £51 million for the area, while musicians contributed £24 million. Making up 64 per cent of the music ecosystem, the live sector boasts 215 venues - including pubs, bars and restaurants with regular live music and club nights - that programme music in the city of Manchester alone, and more than 40 music festivals in the wider region.
Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader Manchester City Council, said: "Music really is the beating heart of Manchester. Some of the biggest names in music have their roots here, and the city is known the world over for its thriving and diverse music scene, with fans flocking here in their droves to catch the biggest names and emerging talent.
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"Our worldwide reputation as a musical powerhouse also attracts residents, students, visitors, businesses, and investors - each of them with their own part to play in what makes the city a vibrant and exciting place.
"The report is very much about better understanding the value of the city’s music to help us build on our already thriving scene and to put music at the centre of our economic strategy. In many ways it proves what we already knew - that our diverse and vibrant music scene is a hugely important economic driver.
"Crucially however, the report also outlines what more we could do to support our much-loved music scene to recover fully from the impact of Covid-19 and to keep on getting bigger and better. And that's what we're fully committed to doing."
The city is seen as a critical driver for the UK’s music industry, not least for its strong position as a talent pipeline - as the report highlighted 116 of the 151 music businesses in Manchester have emerged since 2000. The total economic impact of the Greater Manchester music sector is £469 million in gross added value and 11,270 full-time equivalent jobs, while the city of Manchester itself accounts for £308 million and 6,820 full-time equivalent jobs.
Responding to the findings, Jane Beese, director of music at Manchester International Festival and The Factory, said: "Live music is an incredibly important part of Manchester's music sector. The researchers found 469 venues that programme music in Greater Manchester with 215 in the city of Manchester alone.
"The live music offer we have far surpasses that of other major UK cities."
A number of key issues for the city to address were also outlined in the report including the need to become more representative and inclusive - figures show 69 per cent of those assessed identify as male, and 79% of those surveyed identified as White-British. A shortage of international or export revenues despite the exposure of local artists was also highlighted, attributed to music publishing being concentrated in London and the South East.
Tunde Adekoya, director of Big People Music, said: "The report by the team at Sound Diplomacy puts a very compelling case for why the music industry should be taken seriously as an important part of Manchester's economy. It also highlights the opportunities of a growing economy within the diverse communities of Manchester which can no longer be missed."
Suggestions for boosting the sector in the wake of the pandemic include supporting the international development of the city’s music sector through collaborations, touring and export sales to position the city’s music ecosystem globally; the use of vacant-high street and outdoor spaces for hosting music events in non-music places; and creating a yearly music map of the entire Greater Manchester sub-region.
Jay Taylor, chair of Greater Manchester Music Commission, and Music Venue Trust Co-ordinator for England, said: "Manchester without live music is inconceivable, but the pandemic could easily have left us with an unrecognisable landscape. This is why it's more important than ever that we understand, value, and secure our live music scene.
"From the crucial cultural development work delivered by grassroots venues through to career-defining performances at stadiums, we need to fiercely protect our Mancunian soundtrack."
The full report is available here.
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