Sunderland is tuning up to become a Music City.
A citywide partnership led by the Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust aims to brand Sunderland as a Music City with the ultimate aim of becoming a globally-recognised music hub and joining a worldwide network of Music Cities.
Using music, musicians, audiences and venues, the Sunderland Music City Partnership plans to build on the city’s proud music heritage to:
- change people’s cultural experience in the city and the region;
- change cultural expectations, aspirations, and ambition and make Sunderland a place where musical talent wants to study, live and thrive; and in so doing;
- change Sunderland as a place, making it more vibrant and creative and recognized for its music.
The Music City project has already received substantial financial backing from Northstar Ventures, through the North East Social Investment Fund which has invested £300,000, with a further £37,500 coming from the County Durham Community Foundation.
At a launch event at The Fire Station in Sunderland yesterday (May 16), Paul Callaghan CBE, Chair of the MAC Trust, and who is leading the partnership, explained the benefits of being part of the global Music City network and the positive impact it will have on the local music community.
Paul said: “To achieve our ambition the involvement and buy-in of the local music community is vital.
“We’ll encourage, promote and deliver collaboration across the different sectors of our music community.
“Evidence shows co-operation and collaboration can lead to significant improvements in the provision and operation of the music industry in the city.
“So Music City will create opportunities for networking, mentoring and education to build relationships and trust within the music community.
“In doing so, we will seek consensus on common issues that will deliver broad benefits across the sector locally. While regionally and nationally we’ll develop strong relationships with all levels of government.”
The first official Sunderland Music City Event will be Sunderland Music City Roots, a full day of performances by young people marking International World Music Day (Friday, June 21).
The event will be held at The Fire Station and will showcase young and emerging talent from Sunderland and across the North East.
During the daytime of June 21 there will be a free but ticketed public showcase for secondary school ensembles from 12 noon – 1pm.
Participating performers/ensembles will benefit from performing on stage or being in the audience at a state of the art venue, which it is hoped will inspire the young performers to continue their music making and support a lifelong love of music.
In the evening The Fire Station will host a showcase of rising stars who are coming through the following artist development organisations based in Sunderland and across the wider North East: Sunderland College, Northern Academy Of Music Education (NAME), Young Musicians Project, Northern Roots, From The Glasshouse and The Bunker.
Michelle Daurat, Chief Executive of the MAC Trust, added: “Sunderland Music City Roots will be a perfect opportunity to promote and encourage the emerging and extraordinary musical talent across Wearside and the wider region.
“Sunderland is a city with a long tradition of music and musicians. This is our city’s forte, and through Sunderland Music City Partnership and events such as Sunderland Music City Roots we believe we can develop and support music, in all its forms, bringing significant economic, employment, cultural and social benefits.
“A vibrant music economy will help drive the city in several important ways through job creation, economic growth, tourism development, city reputation and brand building, and artistic growth.
“In looking at other cities throughout the world that have developed as ‘Music Cities’, they have been seen to attract other commercial investment, along with talent attraction and retention in education and employment.
“But the success of a Music City strategy depends on the collaboration and commitment of stakeholders, including the music community, the education and public sectors and voluntary bodies and we’re delighted to see so many Sunderland organisations becoming partners in our drive to become a Music City.”
One of the first steps on the journey to becoming a Music City will be the appointment of a city Music Officer, a single point of contact for the music community.
The MAC Trust role has been advertised widely and the successful applicant will play a crucial role in project managing, shaping and implementing Sunderland’s Music City strategy.
They will also engage with key partners, create and implement music city projects and actively contribute to the cultural enrichment and development of Sunderland’s music ecosystem.
The MAC Trust is also working to create a Music Advisory Board that will provide an invaluable link between the music community and the wider city.
The Board will be composed of representatives from a broad cross-section of the music community, but also include representatives of the education, public and commercial sectors and will be a forum to develop strategy, consensus on issues, and provide advice to the Music Office.
The Board will also enlist the involvement of music industry representatives with larger networks.
The Music Cities Network is a worldwide non-profit association uniting music cities and policy makers around the globe.
Initiated in 2016 and legally established in 2021, it aims to create more business opportunities locally and internationally, bridge the gaps between music scenes and get decision makers to acknowledge music as an integrated part of city development.
The founding cities of the Music Cities Network are Manchester, Aarhus, Bergen, Berlin, Hamburg, Gothenburg, Groningen, Nantes, Reykjavik and Sydney.
If you’re interested in joining the Sunderland Music City Partnership, go to www.MusicCity.uk