Join Music Policy Resilience Network

Now open for applications from new towns and cities (on a rolling basis)

What is MPRN?

The Music Policy Resilience Network advances music policy, focusing on how it can be impactful in small, mid‑sized, and geographically isolated communities, enabling them to develop across both music and other policy areas including health, community cohesion, diversity, economy and more. 

The work explores how resilience is currently embedded in the music ecosystems of the participating towns and cities, identifies areas for development, highlights international best practice, and offers recommendations, as well as monthly masterclasses featuring keynote speakers, lively discussion and mutual aid and exchange. 

Who can join?

The Music Policy Resilience Network is now open for applications from organizations, collectives, working groups, institutions, and municipalities worldwide.

Impact

  • BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

    Kolfest (MPRN lead partner)

    Successful fundraising and development of a 10 day creative lab training programme to upskill music and arts curators in Central Asia – funded by the Swiss Embassy’s grant programme, which has awarded $40,000 USD towards this work. The programme will benefit 30 people from the region, includes both theory and practical work, and takes place in April 2025.

  • WHITEHORSE, CANADA

    Music Yukon (MPRN Lead Partner)

    Continued upskilling in terms of communicating the value of their music ecosystem related output, and the impact it has on the greater population of Whitehorse. Stepping into this language has enabled them to talk more easily with policy makers and secure additional support.

  • NUUK, GREENLAND

    New tax reform measures for artists including an artist tax status.

    The stakeholder engagement, analysis and recommendations produced in the MPRN Nuuk report have provided the concrete evidence that this work is necessary, presented in the language spoken by policymakers

  • WHITESBURG, KENTUCKY, USA

    Successful in securing funding to undertake a full safety audit - inline with the accessibility work undertaken in MPRN – safety for audiences, hazards, and everything that can be barriers to entry for audience members. With MPRN, more light was shone on this, and a much greater understanding of what accessibility means (it is much more than wheelchair accessibility).

  • ST JOHNSBURY, VERMONT, USA

    Increased access to evidence-based data (in the report) that is being used to advocate for the economic and social value of music

  • LERWICK, UK

    Invited to feed into Scottish government’s new cultural strategy, as the result of sharing the published final MPRN report.

FEEDBACK FROM UMEÅ, SWEDEN (COHORT OF 2023)

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you! The labs and this report have really helped us in our work, providing tools and professionalism, and giving a voice to the grassroots culture movement in Umeå. I can’t stress enough how grateful we are. We’re going to carry all of our new knowledge with us for a long time!’

– Mika Svanbord, Kulturföreningen Humlan, Umeå

What is the benefit to joining?

  • Monthly online masterclasses with global experts on music ecosystem-related topics, as decided by the participating communities (e.g. advocacy and lobbying, digital, destination tourism, climate adaptation).

  • One dedicated research project focused on your municipality and its challenges, consisting of in‑depth quantitative and qualitative research with local stakeholders, analysis, international best practice case studies, and recommendations delivered by the Center for Music Ecosystems.

  • Peer review and mutual support with other cohort members, supporting you in developing your strategies, fundraising applications, and much more.

PLUS

  1. Global exchange, discussion, and problem-solving activities with other members of the cohort from around the world

  2. Promotion of your work within the cohort and publicly via the Center for Music Ecosystems’ online channels.

  3. Promotion and engagement of your community as part of the Music Ecosystem Builders series.

Requirements

What we ask of you

  • Your location is not a capital or secondary city – you are somehow an ‘outlier’ due to your remoteness or other challenges. 

  • An open mind and spirit to collaborate with communities all over the world.

  • Your organization/institution/municipality can influence change at policy level – meaning that you can get the outcomes of this work (i.e. your customised report)  in front of those who need to see it (or you are a policymaker yourself).

  • You are curious, committed to the project, and passionate about developing your music ecosystem. You want this work to be done as much as we do, and you (or a colleague) will be able to dedicate approximately 1.5 days spread out over a 12-month period.

  • Sliding financial scale – $5,000 USD for cities and towns that can afford to pay,and negotiable for communities in least developed countries or others who want to participate but have fiduciary restrictions.

Simply complete the following form and we will be back in touch

For further information, contact us below