Dr. Sean Murphy examines the eye-opening results of the Greater Cleveland Music Census ahead of the October BW Conservatory of Performing Arts' 9th Annual Arts Innovation Summit, which will delve even deeper into the survey.
Numbers don't lie. Whether it's a summer evening at Blossom or a sold-out show at the Beachland Ballroom, we've all been uplifted by Cleveland's vibrant musical ecosystem.
But, our robust music economy is much more than a fun night out. It's supported by talented professionals who have translated their passion for the arts into significant economic impact for our region. Recently, the Greater Cleveland Music Census provided a look into the inner workings of our regional music economy, and the results speak volumes.
The music census feedback from approximately 3,000 respondents tells us the Northeast Ohio region is comprised of three main professional categories. Creatives (musicians and performing artists) make up 74% of our ecosystem. Music venues and concert presenters account for 8%, while industry professionals comprise the remaining 18%.
While these music venues and presenters constitute a minority of the music ecosystem, they are our region's greatest strength. Cleveland has a rich landscape of independently owned and operated music venues, each providing a unique setting to take in live music in intimate settings, such as The Grog Shop, The Happy Dog and The Foundry, among many others.
Not only do these venues fulfill an important role in our economy, but they also carry out an equally important part in artist incubation. Not every artist can sell out a stadium, but in an economy of increased emphasis on the individualized experience, fans clamor for a communal space and environment to see their favorite niche artist in a live setting.
Our region's independent venues nurture along the next generation of artists, booking them in these smaller spaces until their fanbase grows in scale where the act can move on to larger regional and national stages. At the core of this process are the music venue staff and owners who continue to amplify these diverse and emerging voices, progressing them through small to medium-sized rooms until they reach a critical mass, employing this process time and time again.
The results of these efforts do, indeed, speak volumes.
The Greater Cleveland Music Census indicated total revenue of $58 million from music activity in our region alone last year. However, respondents do report some room for improvement. Some 76% said Cleveland would benefit from advocacy by the creation of a formalized music commission in our local government, as other arts cities have recently adopted. Other survey responses seek tax breaks of any kind for music entities operating in the for-profit space, as current grant opportunities are heavily aligned with nonprofit entities.
In many ways, attending a concert is a point of civic, economic and artistic pride. Your decision to see a live show helps support the hard-working music professionals of our region (both on and backstage) as well as the ecosystem of artist aggregation.
So, go see a concert; it's your civic duty!
If you have more interest in the Greater Cleveland Music Census, please join us at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Performing Arts for the 9th Annual Arts Innovation Summit.
We will discuss key findings from the music census and feature a panel discussion of Cleveland music venue owners.
The free event takes place this year on Thursday, October 17, at 3 p.m. in BW's Gamble Auditorium.
Sean Murphy, DMA, is a Baldwin Wallace University associate professor of arts management & entrepreneurship. He also serves as the area coordinator for BW's music industry program, recognized by Billboard Magazine as a "Top Music Business School."
A version of this guest column first appeared on cleveland.com and in the SUN News.
