What is it?

Music Cities Network is a public/private network dedicated to improving communication and cooperation, sharing research and knowledge, exploring policy and advocacy, and networking for policy makers, city leaders and all other music city stakeholders around the world. The network is focusing on research & policy; artist-, business- & city development & publicity and was initiated by Hamburg Music Business Association (IHM) & Sound Diplomacy in 2016. Current members are Aarhus, Bergen, Berlin, Groningen, Hamburg, Manchester, Nantes, Reykjavik & Sydney.

Music cities increase revenue, link cultures around nations and continents, retain talent, drive tourism and brand development, and are the key to  sustainable music economies. As melting pots of musical creativity and consumption, urban centres are where music is produced, performed, advertised and sold. There is exceptional potential in this, creating unique opportunities to position music cities as thriving and international important centres of music and media production.

The MCN is a membership-based network, focused on achieving four objectives:

1. Improving cities through music policies and collaborative projects;
2. Building greater networks and creating an actionable agenda for change;
3. Providing and sharing information and research surrounding global music cities activities & policies;
4. Facilitating exchange and collaboration for music business, artists, cultural institutions and education