Appendix 6 - International Music Council

The links between musical diversity and economic
development and the fight against poverty
2.1 Music Assisting in Non-Musical Development
We understood this question in the following sense: music assisting in non-musical
development that means in non-cultural development, ergo economical development.
We don't know of any explicit governmental programs in Europe that use music to assist in
non-cultural development. Music is, of course, used broadly, in the widest sense "to attract
people" – in commercials, advertising campaigns and in tourism. E.g. Festivals form very
important attractors of money and dynamic motors for local economies, and are seen as
such (we don't report festivals in question 2 in detail, for more information see question 6).
2.2 Government or Agency Action to Develop the Music
Industry
or Aspects of it
There are several governmental support programs for the music industry throughout
Europe. The extension and intensity as well as the financial equipment of these programs
differ a lot from country to country.
The general tendency is that there is more awareness of the music industry being an
important economical sector in Western and Northern European
countries like France,
United Kingdom and Sweden.
One of the problems that often obstruct actions and initiatives to develop the music industry
is the fact, that the actors – governments, music business, music workers and the economies
– do not agree on whether music, particularly non-classical music, is to be seen as cultural
expression, or as commodity or service. Whereon depends how the music industry is
treated, e.g. if it is seen as part of the "normal
economy", which does not need any special
support apart from the usual economy policies. The lack of clarity in this question or the
unwillingness to agree on the fact, that music can be both – cultural expression AND
commodity as well as service - can lead to a standstill or a neglect to deal with the special
challenges of the music industry on the part of the national government (as is the case in
Germany).
ALBANIA
There is an Albanian music industry since 1992, but no governmental promotion. There are
no actions or measures to support tourism or other non-musical economic sectors by the
means of music. There is almost no information about the music market. There is no youth
work that employs music.
AUSTRIA
IP ImpulsProgramm creativwirtschaft is a recently initiated support program funded with
3.8 million € up to the end of 2005. It focuses on music, multimedia and design. It is part of
a national strategy that aims to encourage the innovation potential
and competitiveness of
Austrian enterprises in the CI-sector as well
as increasing the number of enterprises and
jo bs in this field. (http://www.impulsprogramm.at/ )
In 2005, the Austrian Fund for Music (Österreichischer Musikfonds) has been funded. This
is a public-private partnership initiative between the Arts department of the Federal
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