Music & Urbanism Intersect at Global Music Cities THINK TANK Next Week

Leaders from more than a dozen global cities will gather in Austin March 15 and 16 for the second annual Music Cities Think Tank, a community of practice that invites leaders in the Music Cities movement to share ideas, compare strategies and build knowledge.

In addition to the Live Music Capital, cities who'll attend and present work at this convening include Columbus, Ohio, Washington, D.C., Ft. Collins, Colo., Memphis, Tenn., New Orleans, San Antonio, Texas, Victoria, B.C., Kalmar and Luleå, Sweden, San Francisco, Toronto, Milwaukee and more. They'll be hosted by Don Pitts and Peter Schwarz of Austin-based music strategy consultancy Sound Music Cities.

The topics of discussion for these civic leaders may surprise you - they'll dive into for-profit industry issues like musician revenue development, the role of non-commercial radio and local streaming solutions, but they'll also tackle municipal export initiatives, cross-sector collaboration and the language of effective public policy.

"Don is in continual conversation with this cohort year-round, so we have a strong sense of what topics are most important to the group," says Schwarz. "Building on how Amy Terrill (of Music Canada, and lead author of The Mastering of a Music City) curated and moderated last year's summit, we are planning six or more in-depth sessions that include updates of current initiatives from members followed by round-table discussion, and then we'll intersperse a few shorter presentations into the schedule that are designed to stimulate thinking about new opportunities and interesting developments in the industry."

Pitts hosted the first Music Cities Think Tank in 2014, welcoming a handful of cities to Austin at that initial gathering. After 25 years in the music and entertainment industry - including 7 years heading up the City of Austin's Economic Development Department's Music & Entertainment Division, where he developed a process that reduced sound complaints by 70 percent - Pitts launched Sound Music Cities in 2017. While with the City of Austin, Pitts led innovative programs to increase prosperity for musicians, music businesses, and music venues, which helped establish a sustainable economic engine for the city. Those core values drive his work with Sound Music Cities and guide the ethos for the Music Cities Think Tank.

"Don is one of the foremost leaders of music city strategy, but at the same time he recognizes - as we all do - the need for constant learning in this space, and to benefit from the experiences and knowledge of other cities who are doing the work," says Kate Becker, Director of Film and Music Office for the City of Seattle. "That is the value of this convening: coming together to exchange best practices in an environment that really centers collaboration and eschews competition. When one city succeeds, there's no need to reinvent the wheel and Don really understands that. I have called on Sound Music Cities to consult about difficult situations here in Seattle, and he has consistently been a source of wise counsel and great resource. I'm looking forward to being back in Austin next week for the Music Cities Think Tank and gathering new tools to take back to Seattle!"

Pitts has intentionally kept the Music Cities Think Tank small; cities attend by invitation but at no cost.

"Music cities aspire to actively promote their vibrant music scenes, and this is the group that is on the ground every day driving the actual strategies, programs and policy," Pitts says. "On the one hand, they need to be finding ways to help industry participants make a living, and then on the other hand, they need effective tools to pull in a diversity of interests that includes policymakers, business, nonprofits and neighbors to participate and share accountability for the survival, stability and success of this vital civic asset. Their role is complex, so the think tank is designed to help these leaders navigate through these difficulties and succeed."

Ultimately Pitts hopes that the civic leaders who attend will leave equipped to more effectively develop local commercial music activity, and with a support system of individuals who are doing the same work and driven by the same goals.

ABOUT MUSIC CITIES THINK TANK

Bringing together music city leaders from around the world, The Music Cities Think Tank is a new community of practice where leaders in the field share ideas, compare strategies and build knowledge for civic leaders to more effectively develop local commercial music activity. Since the inaugural 2014 North American Music Cities Summit (held during SXSW in Austin, Texas), Don Pitts has convened a small tight knit group of municipal leaders developing music ecosystems for their cities and regions. The knowledge-base that these practitioners have shared and built together continues to grow and provides a vital sounding board for what works and what doesn't for public sector responses to the full gamut of issues that impact its live music venues, industry support services and creative community. The initial Music Cities Think Tank is made up of industry professionals and government officials who are actively implementing programs and initiatives in their cities, and who seek to develop and promote new ideas that foster the development of vibrant music city ecosystems.

ABOUT SOUND MUSIC CITIES

Founded and led by music industry leader Don Pitts, Sound Music Cities is the expert advisor to cities seeking practical, data-driven solutions for measuring and growing their music and entertainment economy. We work with civic leaders to provide industry-leading music ecosystem measurement, robust action plans, and innovative community sound management expertise developed through achieving a 70% reduction in sound complaints in Austin. When it comes to music ecosystems, cities share many of the same challenges. Notably, the causes vary, so the solution must be designed to fit the community. Learn more about Sound Music Cities at soundmusiccities.com.

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