Liverpool City Region’s music sector is to receive almost £7m in government funding to make to help make it “global leader in music innovation.”
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced £6.75m to help the region’s live music scene, which will go towards funding and training for musicians, educators and small businesses to harness new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) and to explore how to make the live music scene become more environmentally sustainable.
Under the plans, major establishments like the city’s two universities, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the M&S Bank Arena will be brought together as part of the MusicFutures cluster, which was previously announced by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram in his plans for the region’s music tourism, recording and education areas.
The Liverpool City Region was chosen alongside the West Midlands to receive the same amount of funding to focus on its creative tech and immersive reality areas. The two regions have been chosen in the government’s Creative Industries Clusters, delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, which aims to grow specialist creative subsectors concentrated in geographic areas of the UK.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Liverpool and Merseyside hold a special place in our nation’s music landscape, and this funding will make it even more of a hotbed for imagination and experimentation while exploring how we can make gigs more environmentally friendly.”
She added: “Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. We are boosting the talented and tech-savvy firms, artists and freelancers that are innovating and driving growth in creative clusters across our regions.
Led by the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), it is hoped that MusicFutures will, over the next five years, establish the Liverpool City Region as a music research and development ‘powerhouse’.
By focusing on driving R&D and innovation through emerging technologies, as well as talent and business development, there is hope that MusicFutures will supercharge the Liverpool City Region’s music sector and future-proof the city’s reputation as a global music city.
The project will provide new funding opportunities for both small and medium-sized enterprises, bespoke training for music makers and industry mentorship. The plan is to create clear pathways for musicians, professionals and businesses within the music industry and the wider creative economy.
Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “The Liverpool City Region has a long and proud history as one of the world’s most iconic places for music.
“From the Beatles to the vibrant live music scene that continues to thrive today, I’m proud that this new funding will continue to build on that legacy, ensuring we remain at the cutting edge of music innovation for years to come.
“MusicFutures will not only elevate our cultural status on the global stage, it will also unlock new opportunities for local talent, businesses and communities – creating jobs, nurturing creativity and driving economic growth across the region.”
