22/08/18: UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher is urging people working in Greater Manchester’s music industry to help shape its future.

_{Andy Burnham, Michael Dugher, Karen Boardman and Martyn Walsh (L-R) at the launch of the review}

Musicians who live or work in Greater Manchester and people working within the industry are being asked by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to have their say on the local music scene as part of a major music review.

The consultation was launched today (August 22) and will run for four weeks, feeding into a wider review led by UK Music.

UK Music will be supported by three chairs: Karen Boardman, Ged Doherty and Martyn Walsh.  They will explore how best to support the sector, ensuring that artists get help to develop sustainable careers, focusing on three key areas:

• Education and talent development: to explore what opportunities are available for musicians to learn and develop in Greater Manchester and to identify where more support is needed.

• Industry: to look at how feasible is it to sustain a career as a musician in Greater Manchester and how developments in the industry have affected musicians.

• Live: A focus on what the main challenges are facing music venues in Greater Manchester and what experiences musicians and those involved with the industry have of playing in venues and festivals in the city-region. The review will look at how we might improve both audience and musician experiences at venues and festivals in Greater Manchester.

Responses from this survey, and others that are set to launch in the coming months, will form part of a report which will make a number of recommendations on how best to strengthen the Greater Manchester music scene.

UK Music CEO Michael Dugher said: “Andy Burnham really understands how important music is to Greater Manchester – to its culture and to its economy.

“This review is about building on Greater Manchester’s world-famous music heritage to ensure that the music scene goes from strength to strength and that we can offer young people in Greater Manchester the very best opportunities for the future.”

The report, set to launch early next year, will also look at how we can build on city-region’s incredible music heritage and how we can best support musicians of all cultures and backgrounds to help grow the city’s economy.

Councillor Linda Thomas, Leader of Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Portfolio lead for Culture said: “Music is such a big part of people’s lives in Greater Manchester, from learning and performing in our schools, to enjoying our rich and diverse music scene.

“Properly understanding the experiences of musicians living and playing in Greater Manchester will help us understand what we need to do to make Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to learn, create and enjoy music.”

Have your say here and for more information on the review click here.