Wed 11/8-Fri 12/1
This week, the Greater Cleveland Music Census, which was announced with extensive media coverage back in September, officially launches. CoolCleveland readers with an interest in music can take the survey now through 12/1/23.
If you are over 18, have an interest in music, and live in the greater Cleveland area, we encourage you to take the survey today by clicking here.
The census is a community-led initiative to gather information to better understand the needs of the Cleveland-area music community and make more informed, data-driven decisions to support the area’s music scene. It asks people working within the music community to answer specific questions about their work and their perceptions, including demographics, occupation types and diversity. It will gather responses through December 1 and begin the work of analyzing them.
Working in collaboration with Sound Music City in Austin and with support of The Cleveland Foundation, two local groups worked in collaboration with Sound Music City in Austin and with support from the Cleveland Foundation to identify and measure the live entertainment industry in our region. The two are the nonprofit Cleveland Rocks: Past Present Future, whose mission is to develop and grow the local music scene by providing support for artists, and the Cleveland Independent Venue Association, a local offshoot of the National Independent Venues Association (NIVA), founded during the pandemic to advocate for support for small, independent venues and the network of artists and businesses who depend on them.
The two lead groups have enlisted numerous smaller groups to reach out to their constituencies. “I’d specifically mention Gotta Groove, both the Rock Hall and the Polka Hall of Fame, Assembly for the Arts, Destination Cleveland, Local 4 (the Musicians union), the BW Music Program, the Orchestra, the Art Museum, Magnetic North, Roots of American Music, School of Rock — even the Hum & Strum Ukelele Club of Coventry,” says Sean Watterson, Happy Dog owner and head of the Cleveland Independent Venue Association. (Find a full list here.)
“The core questions are the same across each of the cities, so we will be able to compare apples to apples, but we will also be able to measure the total number of responses relative to other cities,” says Watterson. We’re looking at how results roll in from Columbus, but also comparing to the totals coming out of Austin (3,900) to see how Cleveland stacks up. I would add that we added a couple Cleveland-specific questions asking whether folks think there is a need for a music commission, and if so, how folks would prioritize what areas they would like to see a music commission focus.”
Those priority areas include
*Economic development (tourism, heritage, export)
*Economic support (grants, incentives)
*Foundational needs (housing, workspace, health and wellness)
*Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (women, POC, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities)
*Live entertainment-friendly regulatory improvements
*Live entertainment programming (eg. music in public venues, streets, festivals, airport)
*Safety
*Industry development (connector, hub, incubator)
*Creative grants (e.g. Collaborations, arts & culture)
*Audience Development
*Safety
*Training and Workforce Development
Find the survey here.