City Hall has signed off on a £100,000 boost for the music industry in Belfast.
Elected representatives at Belfast City Council this month approved the allocation involving three branches of the industry in the city, with funds going towards investment in venues, a new digital music and marketing platform, and industry mentoring.
At the April meeting of the council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, £20,000 was approved for the Pipeline Investment Fund for music venues, £50,000 for the creation of a digital music support service and marketing channels, and £30,000 towards the development of the Music Industry Mentoring Programme for 2023/24.
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Last December, councillors agreed upon a City Hall music strategy called “Music Matters: A Roadmap for Belfast.” It sets out governance recommendations including the formation of a Belfast Region Music Board, comprising between 15 and 20 members, to address the UNESCO City of Music designation.
The council report states: “The board will help to embed music in all communities across the city to make music a sustainable career option for creators and people who support them.” It had its first meeting earlier this month.
Regarding the venue funding, the report states: “This funding, which will support a minimum of four venues, will be administered through the Music Venue Trust process with scoring and final decisions made via a panel consisting of MVT staff and Belfast City Council. This initial pilot programme will be reviewed in-year to assess the impact, with a view to potentially expanding the work to support more venues.”
The 50K digital funding will go towards “a music support service (initially a digital space/website) which will act as a point of contact for all questions arising from within the music community (new, emerging and tipping point artists), deliver and promote educational and development opportunities, and facilitate connections amongst and beyond individuals and organisations working within the music sector.”
It will also create “a one-stop-shop online music directory to promote and connect all facets of the music business and those working in it” and “a one-stop listing service for venues, organisations and the hospitality sector to promote their music activity to the city’s locals and visitors.”
The mentoring programme will involve “specially designed mentoring for individuals working in music, including continued professional development for senior or experienced individuals working in music.”
The council states a tender will be created to invite interested parties to design a short course of training and mentoring for individuals currently working or considering working as agents or managers, for labels, or within marketing and PR.
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