Liverpool, Music City? - Report

4.3
Artist
Development
Time, Resources and Space
Artists have always needed time and space to
develop their craft and a successful music city
will be one in which an artist is afforded such
commodities, alongside structured and innovative
development programmes and artist-friendly city
policies. Our data suggests there is work to do
in this area. There is also the ever-constant
tension between music viewed as a creative,
cultural output and as a financial commodity.
For Liverpool to fully realise its position as a
global music city, music needs to be considered
more broadly than purely being viewed in economic
terms and tourist spend. There is a need to open
up access to Liverpool’s music culture – both
in terms of audiences and artists – to people
of all backgrounds. There is also a strong sense
of a stark financial challenge to artists at all
levels; the market failure of the music industry,
a lack of paid gigs, low attendances and the
ongoing influence of pay-to-play gigs make it more
difficult than ever to gain a foothold in the
sector.