New Orleans, a “music city,” is stepping up its efforts to determine why and how we can call ourselves such by investing in a census of all the components of the city’s music economy. There has not been a comprehensive count of musicians, venues and music businesses since OffBeat‘s Louisiana Music Directory—which was an attempt to gather information on all the musicians, bands and music businesses throughout the state of Louisiana. The Louisiana Music Directory identified and categorized real data from original research around the state relating to music: bands, type of music offered; music businesses (venues, publishers, attorneys, recording studios, media, production, etc.). When it was last published in print, the “LMD” contained information on almost 9,000 musicians, bands and music businesses, thus giving the members of the music ecosystem the ability to contact and network with other members. The LMD also demonstrated the strength of the music industry as an economic force, and provided a reliable source of information on the music ecosystem to those outside the state who were interested in reaching Louisiana music entities. The LMD was a project of OffBeat Magazine, and due to lack of funding, was unfortunately discontinued after 2009.
Now the City of New Orleans Mayor’s Office of Nighttime Economy has announced the launch of the New Orleans Music Census, an initiative aimed at gathering comprehensive data to support future policymaking for the city’s vibrant nightlife ecosystem.
The investment in this study highlights the City’s continued commitment to fostering the individuals, businesses and organizations that play a role in making New Orleans a world-class music hub. Recognizing music and culture as critical economic drivers, the Music Census will play an essential role in understanding the challenges these sectors face in supporting their contribution to the City of New Orleans.
“As the birthplace of modern music, we recognize how important our culture bearers are to keeping New Orleans vibrant,” said Director of Nighttime Economy Howie Kaplan. “This study will serve as a roadmap for how the City can best support them.”
The New Orleans Music Census will include interviews and surveys of local venues, musicians, non-profits and other music professionals involved in the local music ecosystem. By capturing data on both the living and working conditions of contributors to the local nightlife economy, the census will provide data-driven insights that will assist community leaders and policymakers in identifying and addressing challenges facing the city’s rich culture. The last attempt at identifying the contributors to New Orleans economy was done just after Hurricane Katrina by Sweet Home New Orleans. Due to lack of funding, Sweet Home disbanded its efforts in 2013.
Beginning on May 10, this initiative will partner with Sound Music Cities, an Austin-based firm specializing in localized music ecosystem studies. The New Orleans Music Census is part of a larger cohort involving 20 cities nationwide, including Nashville, TN, Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis, MN.
“It is critical that we hear from as many individuals as possible, from all corners of the local music scene” said Nighttime Economy Policy & Outreach Manager Julia Heath. “We already know about some of the challenges and opportunities that face our music ecosystem, but hard data is the best way to move policy forward. Our office is committed to driving meaningful change that will support what our city is the most known for: its music.”
In order to emphasize inclusivity and collaboration with community leaders, the Office of Nighttime Economy invites community members to reach out to learn more about how they can participate in this community-driven initiative. For more information, visit nola.gov/night.
To join as a community partner, please contact Julia Heath at [email protected].
