– An interview with Amy Terrill, EVP of Music Canada!
Amy Terrill is the Executive Vice President of Music Canada, which is an association that promotes the interests of the Canadian music community. Amy Terrill is also the lead author of the report “The Mastering of a Music City” which was launched by Music Canada, and this is the subject she will be talking about during SPOT Festival 2016.
What are the key elements to making a music city?
Artists and musicians are definitely the heart of a music city, but a thriving music city also needs a strong music scene – places for artists to perform at all levels during their career. Musicians need access to all kind of spaces like rehearsal, recording, even public spaces – performance, education opportunities, a receptive and engaged audience that is willing to support artists whether they are emerging or touring [i.e. established] artists.
And then there is the big eco-system: All of those professionals in businesses that support artists throughout their career whether they may be managers, agents, promoters, record labels or radio stations enter that big eco-system. Those five things are important (and no city has a 100% coverage on everything) and that would be how we would suggest a city should thrive to be a strong music city.
How does a city become a music city?
Number one is just recognizing the value that music brings to the community, and it should really be seen as an important economic factor in many cities. I think, just starting with that kind of recognition and raising a profile of music within the community will hopefully create an environment that will come out and support music and creativity. An environment where the city hall and elected officials are supportive and working with the music community, hereby ensuring the positive effects for all existing businesses and others that may come.
There is also the importance of understanding the environment for the artists in the business. Are there things that are challenging for them and that would lead to them to leave the community to pursue their careers elsewhere.
What can Aarhus do to get closer to becoming a music city?
From everything I’ve heard, Aarhus is a great music city!!
It has a really thriving music economy. So the branding [of Aarhus as a Music City] is really understanding the product in tourism terms, which is usually a combination of the club scene – which is potentially active 365 days a year – the festival season, and then history as well. So often music cities are branded around their history and key music things that have happened there, or artists that have come from there, or places and landmarks.
So building a brand is understanding what your story is as a music city and then working with the music community, your tourism agencies, etc. to tell that story in a way that attracts people to come to the city.