Music for the development of the city

A few weeks ago, Barcelona City Council adopted a more flexible interpretation of the regulations for shows in Catalonia to allow live music in any bar, restaurant or cafeteria, as long as it complies with soundproofing and security measures, until the closing time set by your license – 11 pm in the areas more saturated- Until now, live music licenses were restricted to concert halls and nightclubs. In the words of municipal officials, the measure seeks to “promote grassroots culture” and “nurture spaces for small creations” so that “local musicians have a greater presence.” It is a close example that takes us to other cities that have understood music as the axis of progress. An article published for the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank shows us outstanding cases of cities that have developed strategies to promote the music sector.

In Amsterdam the figure of a night mayor responsible for promoting the night music scene, in New York the mayor will put affordable housing made available to musicians to preserve the industry’s contribution to the city, and in the UK, UK Music measures the impact of music tourism on the country’s economy. As early as 2004, UNESCO created a Creative Cities Network to promote culture and creativity as a driving force for development development and urban regeneration, through the stimulation of innovation and growth, and the promotion of social cohesion and dialogue. Among the 20 cities included in the network as Musical Cities are Liverpool, Seville and Bogotá.