Go read Dave Harte’s Why Music Matters article that was published in the Post today summarising the research they’ve been doing into the local music industry, specifically the dialogues they’ve been having for the Music Matters report.
Here’s a paragraph that jumped out:
The first thing we found was that many hadn’t been asked their views before despite the fact that development agencies and local councils had been writing strategy and delivering projects on their behalf for years. Not that there haven’t been surveys and mapping documents before but no one seemed to be asking the key questions: how can businesses capitalise on the success of the music acts they help nurture and how far are we from having a defined infrastructure for an effective, functional music industry?
And this piece, coming after a look at the specific challenged facing music companies, was illuminating.
But that’s not really the key concern that emerges from our dialogue with the music industry. What they really have are the same concerns any business owner of any kind of business would have: how do I get more attention for my products? What haven’t I got a local trade association to join? How do I grow my business? How do I acquire specialist industry knowledge and access high-level business support? Why isn’t there the same level of public agency support for my sector as there is with others?
But go read the whole thing. It’s not too long and is written in English, which is nice.
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In the article Dave mentions that “one of our local companies did a deal with a chain of Belgian bakeries to give away their artists’ music free with a loaf of bread.” I have it on good authority (ie Dave told me) that it’s Gotham Records. Fantastic stuff!