New partnership initiative to advance music’s role in remote and rural communities around the world
The Music Policy Resilience Lab aims at implementing music policies in remote, rural and isolated communities in different parts of the world. The initiative builds on a previous collaboration between the Nordic Culture Fund and the global research organization Center for Music Ecosystems.
The report Defining Resilience in Remote and Rural Music Ecosystems (link til rapport) was published last November based on a research project conducted by the Center for Music Ecosystems in Torshavn (Faroe Islands), Nuuk (Greenland) and Juneau (Alaska). The aim of the study was to demonstrate how music can be a powerful tool to make any community more resilient and to find actionable ways to strengthen the local music ecosystems in the three cities.
Based on the recommendations outlined in the report, the partners have now launched a new phase in the work. The Music Policy Resilience Lab aims at implementing and testing the key findings and recommendations on the ground in 11 communities in Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland and Kyrgyzstan, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
During the period March 2023 – April 2024, the communities will participate in 6 Policy Labs. The labs will feature global music and cultural policy experts such as Bandcamp, Serenade, the Texas Music Office and Live DMA, among others. The first Lab takes place on the Faroe Islands on the 10th of March.
At the same time, each community will work with the Center For Music Ecosystems and experts to implement selected recommendations from the report. All progress will be recorded in each place and together with the roundtable findings, a comprehensive Guide to Music And Resilience will be published in Spring 2024 at Tallinn Music Week in Estonia, with each community serving as an example of best practice. This guide will then be made available for free, for all communities.
About The Center for Music Ecosystems
The Center for Music Ecosystems is a nonprofit organization with a mission to conduct globally relevant research that supports communities to use music to help solve problems at the local, national and global levels.
Music Policy Resilience Lab Communities (in alphabetical order):
- Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
- Gallup, New Mexico (USA)
- Gander, Newfoundland (Canada)
- Lerwick, Shetland Islands (UK)
- Mariehamn, Åland Islands (Finland)
- Nuuk (Greenland)
- St. Johnsbury, Vermont (USA)
- Torshavn (Faroe Islands)
- Umeå (Sweden)
- Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada)
- Whitesburg, Kentucky (USA)
Lab Dates and Times
Lab 1 – Supporting Local Venues, March 10th 2023, 4 pm GMT (hybrid with in-person in the Faroe Islands) – featuring Live DMA and TransMusicHalles
Lab 2 – Supporting Musicians and Music Makers, May 26th 2023 – 4 pm GMT (hybrid with in person in Greenland) – featuring Bandcamp and Serenade
Lab 3 – Mapping, Representation and Recognition, September 12th 2023 – 4 pm GMT (online) – featuring Sound Diplomacy
Lab 4 – Better Local Music Policy, November 24th 2023 – 4 pm GMT (online) – featuring Texas Music Office
Lab 5 – Music & Future Global Challenges, January 23rd, 2024 – 4 pm GMT (online) – Featuring Dr Christina Ballico and Stockholm Resilience Center
Lab 6 – Education, Music Business & Embracing Digital, March 8th, 2024 – 4 pm GMT (online) – featuring Songtrust
Funders and partners
Nordic Culture Fund, Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Music NL, Yukon Government, Stockholm Resilience Center, Bandcamp, Serenade, Texas Music Office, Trans Music Halles, Live DMA, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Sound Diplomacy, Dr Christina Ballico and others.
