Music in Greater Manchester

We asked you whether you were a musician, music business owner or audience member and what your experience was of music in in Greater Manchester.

69% of musicians and business owners that responded felt they were able to sustain a career in the music industry, although only 28% felt it was a full time career.

Over the past 20 years, 51% of respondents felt that certain aspects of the music industry had become easier to operate in, whilst other areas still presented significant challenges.

Most respondents felt that the main reason that Greater Manchester does so well as a region is because we have such a vast range of venues.

Of the gig-goers that responded, 51% of you were attending gigs more than once a month. 42% of respondents got in to music  through family, with 29% first being exposed to music through school, and 37% getting in to music through friends.

Rock and Dance/Electronica music were the music genres of most interest.

Band on the Wall, Gorilla, The Deaf Institute, The Soup Kitchen, Albert Hall, Victoria Warehouse, The Eagle Inn and the Old Courts were some of your favourite venues.

Parklife and Manchester Jazz Festival, along with Dot 2 Dot and Off the Record were some of your favourite festivals.

There was a desire to see less ticket touts at larger events, and a greater focus on emerging talent in the region.

When asked for what changes you wanted to see to better support music in the city region, respondents cited more support for community radio stations, more family-friendly events and more options to get home after a gig. Ideas of bundle or discount tickets for public transport, as well as later running transport, were put forward as suggestions.

In addition to the two surveys, we also held three roundtables with industry experts; centred on business, live music and audience development and education. These roundtables, combined with the two surveys, led to the creation of the Greater Manchester Music Review, co-developed between Greater Manchester Combined Authority and UK Music.

We published the Review on the 19^th July in Manchester with a panel of industry experts.

You can read the review here: https://www.ukmusic.org/research/greater-manchester-music-review-2019/

The review made ten key recommendations:

1. Setting up a new music board

2. Establishing a talent pipeline fund

3. Establishing a global music city region

4. Protecting grassroots venues through Agent of Change

5. Incentivise bussinesses with discounted rates

6. Coordinate music education services

7. Opportunities for emerging artists

8. Inclusive networking

9. Reaching out to every corner of the city region

10. Integrating transport

The GMCA Culture and Creative team, night time economy team, and the Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord, will now be working with the three chairs of the review, and partners across Greater Manchester to realise these ten recommendations.