A new report based on a detailed look at the live music sector and supporting industries in Manchester and the city region has found that the music economy in Manchester is second only to London.
Published this week, the report is based on independent research carried out on behalf of the council by Sound Diplomacy and Nordicity, who were commissioned to carry out a review of the city’s economic landscape, looking specifically at the needs and opportunities of the music sector.
Their findings show that the music eco-system in Manchester is a major contributor to the city’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs, and attracting a significant number of music tourists and others to the city.
The city is seen as a critical driver for the UK-wide music industry, not least for its strong position as a talent pipeline, and is regarded as fertile ground for new and emerging creatives and businesses both locally and across the country.
The live music scene makes up the biggest part of the music eco-system in the city with 215 venues – including those 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 city region.
The report also notes the significance of Manchester as a major centre nationally for classical music through the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, and the BBC Philharmonic.
It concludes that Manchester has a strong heritage in music that has long attracted passionate audiences to the city, and has an even stronger future ahead of it with all the ingredients, skills, talent, and drive to succeed, making it a major music hub both regionally and nationally.
The Covid pandemic hit the music industry hard right across the country and Manchester’s music scene and all the jobs it supports across the city were also badly affected.
As well as providing a comprehensive overview of the state of the music economy in Manchester, the report also suggests direct ways in which the city can help its music sector not just to recover from the pandemic, but to expand and grow even stronger
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.
“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.”
