New Orleans Music Census Report Released: Opportunities to Support Local Music Revealed

August 19, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

New Orleans Music Census Report Released: Opportunities to Support Local Music Revealed

NEW ORLEANS - The Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy (ONE), in collaboration with a coalition of local partners, including OffBeat Magazine, The Ella Project, New Orleans Musician's Clinic, Preservation Hall Foundation and StayLocal New Orleans, is excited to unveil the results of the 2024 New Orleans Music Census. This comprehensive community-led study, conducted from May to June of this year, gathered 1,504 responses from individuals across the New Orleans metropolitan area who are involved in various aspects of the music industry. The findings are now available for public exploration atnolamusiccensus.org.

"The City of New Orleans is pleased to unveil the 2024 New Orleans Music Census Report, a transformative toolkit for our city and our music community," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "This effort has given us unique insights into the challenges and opportunities within our local music scene, which my administration will use to craft policies that will make a real impact for our renowned culture-bearers. The Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy plays a crucial role in this initiative, working hand-in-hand with our community and local music organizations to set new standards. Together, we are committed to creating a thriving, sustainable music industry that reflects the true soul of New Orleans and leads the way in innovative change."

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.

"We are 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," said ONE Policy & Outreach Manager Julia Heath. "This detailed insight is crucial for crafting meaningful support and policies that reflect the true needs of our local music industry. While the modern music sector faces significant challenges nationwide, I believe that transformative change begins at the local level. The Mayor's 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."

Overview of Key Findings

• Economic Impact and Professional Challenges: Census respondents within the New Orleans music industry generate $26 million annually, and contribute $12 million through career-related expenses, 54 percent of which stays within the local economy. Despite this, many musicians face financial challenges - 55 percent work outside the music industry, with 73 percent of those individuals relying on these external jobs as their primary income source.
• Venue Diversity and Regulatory Issues: The venue landscape is extremely 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: There is a strong desire among respondents for better connections with music industry services, with 62 percent seeking links to agencies and record labels and 51 percent 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 percent of respondents struggling with rent or mortgage payments and 86 percent concerned about low or uncertain pay. Despite these challenges, the local music ecosystem is one of the most experienced in the country, with 83 percent of census respondents having more than 10 years of experience in music.
• Weather Interruptions: Only 3 percent of venue and presenter respondents said that their events are never interrupted by weather. Meanwhile, 41 percent said that their events are interrupted by the weather more than 25 percent of the time.

Opportunities for Growth and Support

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

• Reestablishing the Music & Entertainment Commission to serve as an open and transparent forum to address challenges and promote opportunities within the entire music ecosystem
• Re-working the Musician Loading Zone permit to make it more accessible for music venues
• Supporting the development of music hubs that would provide a nexus for music services and collaboration
• Driving professional development through workshops, seminars and mentorship programs
• Addressing regulatory barriers

Next Steps and Community Engagement

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

To learn more about ONE and their programs, visit nola.gov/night.

For more information, please contact ONE Policy & Outreach Manager Julia Heath at [email protected].

# # #

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.