The New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy (ONE), in collaboration with a coalition of local partners including OffBeat Magazine, The Ella Project, the New Orleans Musician’s Clinic, the Preservation Hall Foundation and StayLocal New Orleans unveiled the results of the 2024 New Orleans Music Census.

“We’re thrilled to unveil the results of the 2024 New Orleans Music Census, an effort that has provided us with a wealth of data on both the broad narrative and individual stories within our vibrant music community. This detailed insight is crucial for crafting meaningful support and policies that reflect the true needs of our local music industry,” said Julia Heath, Policy & Outreach Manager for the New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy. “While the modern music sector faces significant challenges nationwide, I believe that transformative change begins at the local level. The New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy is committed to continuing to work with the community to set a benchmark for other cities, demonstrating how focused music policy and collaboration can drive impactful improvements.” Heath emphasized that the census is just the first step to determine the makeup and needs of all members of the music ecosystem and that it would provide guidelines for developing programs and policies that fulfill the community’s perceived necessities for a thriving music scene.

The comprehensive community-led study, conducted from May to June 2024, gathered 1,504 responses from individuals across the New Orleans metropolitan area who are involved in various aspects of the music industry, including musicians, bands, venues, festivals and music businesses. The Executive Summary of findings are now available for public exploration here.

New Orleans was part of a multi-city cohort administered by Sound Music Cities that included Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Tulsa, OK, Washington, D.C., and other cities that implemented the census while meeting regularly and sharing insights on localized music policy best practices. The goal of the music census is to gather real insights on the complete New Orleans music ecosystem and capture data on the living and working conditions of contributors to the local music industry.

OVERVIEW OF KEY FINDINGS:

• Economic Impact and Professional Challenges: The New Orleans music industry generates $26 million annually, with music professionals contributing $12 million through career-related expenses, 54% of which stays within the local economy. Despite this, many musicians face financial challenges. 55% work outside the music industry with 73% of those individuals relying on these external jobs as their primary income source.

• Venue Diversity and Regulatory Issues: The venue landscape is very diverse compared to other cities in the cohort, including traditional venues, festivals, bars, coffee shops, and unconventional spaces such as house shows and pop-ups. Venues host an average of 163 events annually, contributing to a vibrant local music scene. However, venues and presenters face regulatory challenges including time-consuming inefficiencies and complex permitting processes.

• Professional Development Needs: Respondents cited the need for better connections with music industry services, with 62% seeking links to agencies and record labels, and 51% interested in connections to other creative industries. Key professional development interests include audience development, event promotion, new revenue streams and publishing strategies.

• Livability and Career Concerns: Economic pressures are evident, with 38% of respondents struggling with rent or mortgage payments and 86% concerned about low or uncertain pay. Despite these challenges, the local music ecosystem is one of the most experienced in the country, with 83% of census respondents having more than 10 years of experience in music.

• Weather Interruptions: Only 3% of venue and presenter respondents said that their events are never interrupted by weather. 41% said that their events are interrupted by the weather more than 25% of the time.

The census highlighted several key opportunities for supporting the New Orleans music scene, including:

• Re-establishing the New Orleans Music & Entertainment Commission to serve as an open and transparent forum to address challenges and promote opportunities within the entire music ecosystem. Heath acknowledged that more research is needed concerning the make-up, operations and scope of such a commission (New Orleans, as well as Louisiana, had music commissions that were established, then disbanded years ag0).

• Re-working the Musician Loading Zone permit to make it more accessible for music venues.

• Supporting the development of music hubs, or incubators that would provide a nexus for music services and collaboration, similar to the 2112 hub in Chicago.

• Driving professional development through workshops, seminars, and mentorship programs.

• Addressing regulatory barriers.

NEXT STEPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:

To further explore and address the survey findings, a series of community roundtables will be held and announced to the community, inviting local music professionals and stakeholders to discuss the results and collaboratively develop strategies for enhancing the music ecosystem.

To learn more about the New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy, visit nola.gov/night. To contact The Office of Nighttime Economy, email Julia Heath, Policy & Outreach Manager, Office of Nighttime Economy at [email protected]

About the New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy:
The New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the city’s vibrant nightlife and music scenes. Through strategic collaborations and community engagement, the office aims to address challenges and create opportunities for growth within New Orleans’ dynamic nighttime culture.