A little while back I linked to a questionnaire about Birmingham’s music scene that was doing the rounds. The report and a series of recommendations are now out.
For a bit of background, there’s this from Cllr Philip Parkin, Chairman of the Leisure, Sport & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee (who were responsible for the report):
Last year’s UK Music report, ‘Destination UK’, was the ‘most comprehensive study ever undertaken on the power of music as a tourist draw’ and the first of its kind to quantify the economic value of ‘music tourism’ to the country’s regions. It also laid down a challenge to public bodies, locally and nationally, to ‘realise the potential of this considerable economic asset’. And the Scrutiny Committee that I chair in Birmingham has responded to that challenge, coming up with a series of recommendations for city council approval – in our scrutiny report ‘Destination Birmingham‘ – that I hope will send out the clear message that we see popular music as being of huge importance to the cultural and economic life of our city.
You can download the Destination Birmingham report (PDF) here.
There are a series of recommendations on pages 8-10. I’ve not read the whole thing yet but will maybe, probably get round to it at some point. A quick flick through seems to suggest there are some interesting bits in there.
Music Birmingham
The recommendation picked up by the Birmingham Post is for the council to have a person able to act as a point of contact for studios, venues, promoters, producers and artists. Someone with:
the ability to bring together different departments and take responsibility for providing advice and support
That sounds like it could be alright. I remember hearing that Soweto Kinch’s Flyover Show (which is happening over in South Africa at the end of March and coming back to Brum on 11 August) stalled for years because of the difficulties with coordinating with so many parts of such a large council.
As a side point, it’s a very different thing, but it kinda reminds me of the discussions a few years back about whether Birmingham needs a Creative Director.
Celebrating our musical heritage
This was the other main recommendation highlighted in the preface:
It is also important that we do more to celebrate Birmingham’s rich musical heritage. Following the success of the Home of Metal exhibition, and in the year that Black Sabbath reform, we should celebrate Birmingham’s role in the origins of heavy metal. We should also be celebrating other music events and genres – bhangra and reggae also have their origins in Birmingham.
And don’t forget Duran Duran.
Thoughts?
If I’ve anything to add from the brief glance I’ve given the thing, it’s that there’s a lot about providing space and resources for archives and heritage and rather less about how conditions might be improved for the current/next generation.
Anyway, if you have a read of the report and Philip Parkin’s blog post I’d be interested in hearing what you think.
And, not forgetting the RTS nominated hour long documentary film, MADE IN BIRMINGHAM – Reggae Punk Bhangra, directed by Debbie Aston, that complements the Home of Metal detectors by focussing on other strands of musical heritage and cultural lineages in the city.
I was part of this Scrutiny Review as a witness(?) and having read the document I really welcome it. There is, if anything, more focus on the current music industries and the lack of infrastructure and coherence within the city, which is only right.
However, the two strands, current music and heritage, are complimentary. You cannot create your future if you do not know your history and the history side has been criminally neglected.
There is much more to add to the BCC review, looking at other city’s successful music commissions and bodies for example, but the idea of a central point of focus for the independent music industry which has an ingrained sense of the city’s rich musical past is a move in the right direction.
As I, and others have argued, this is not about funding musicians or venues, but about brokering and understanding. Brokering relationships between individuals and organisations in the city, and facilitating relationships with national and international companies that allows for and brings in inward investment into the city.
Understanding the depth and breadth of the musical activity that takes place in Birmingham and the needs and requirements to allow it to continue to flourish but with a much more central visible role within the city’s cultural offer which means popular music having representation on things like planning, licensing, transport plans, all the things behind the scenes that impact on the actually ability for entrepreneurs and innovators to create a sustainable, lively music environment.
There are clearly also touristic and cultural benefits in recognising and celebrating the long and sustained impact musicians from the city have had on the local, national and international music industry, as Roger says above, from across a wide range of genres. We have an opportunity to really get this right now, I hope the City Council supports the recommendations in the report.
Ramble over.
Destination Birmingham: Birmingham, A Music City « Philip Parkin
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