Liverpool, Music City? - Report

1.1 Team
This report and the underlying
research was undertaken by a multidisciplinary
team at Liverpool John
Moores University (LJMU), Bido Lito!
Magazine and the Liverpool music
community.
1.2
Method
A live ‘Liverpool, Music City?’
public discussion was held on 4th
May 2017 at Constellations in the
Baltic Triangle, Liverpool. Five
themes were explored: ‘Music in the
City’, ‘Music Tourism’, ‘New Musical
Talent Development’, the city as
a ‘Music Industry Hub’ and ‘Music
Education’ at the event. Participants
were asked to provide their written
comments about each of the themes.
233 participants attended the event,
representing in excess of 100 music
organisations and 264 responses were
collected. To support this public
discussion an online survey was
available for those who could not
attend the event to express their
views and 312 responses provided
online. In total, 573 responses
and 749 comments were collected and
analysed using content analysis
coding.
1.3
Key ‘Music in the City’
findings
The most consistent issues cited by
the music community when considering
the challenges to Liverpool’s live
music culture are issues surrounding
property, the closure of venues
and wider challenges of the built
environment – such as noise complaints
and developer power. Key issues and
ideas for potential ways forward were
provided that could offer innovative
solutions.
1.4.
Key ‘Music Tourism’
findings
The project data shows an overwhelming
consensus around the need to develop
Liverpool’s music tourism experience.
This focusses strongly on the need
for new strategies that bring the
city's heritage offer much closer to
the vibrant year-round live music and
festival offer. A wealth of ideas
were provided about how this could be
undertaken.
1.5.
Key ‘New Musical
Talent Development’
findings
Artists need time and space to develop,
alongside structured and innovative
development programmes and artistfriendly
city policies. 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. The ongoing financial
challenges to artists are raised
consistently. Ideas for new solutions
were provided that contribute to this
development.