FAYETTEVILLE -- A lot of collaboration among many groups will be necessary if Northwest Arkansas wants to grow the region's music industry, according to a recent study.
"Northwest Arkansas is growing at an excessive rate, and that provides a lot of business opportunities," said Robert Locke, co-founder, president and CEO of Shindigmusic.
Music map
An interactive map of Northwest Arkansas’ music industry offerings is available online at https://ift.tt/2y39tkW
Source: Sound Diplomacy
The plan
Key opportunities for further growth of the music industry in Northwest Arkansas will be implemented over the next three years and include the recommendations to:
• Establish a full-time staff dedicated to the development of a “music ecosystem” and the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
• Encourage cities to support new and existing music venues through cultural planning.
• Develop ways to help the diverse, culturally rich communities that have not historically been supported by institutions.
• Create grants, residencies, exchanges, workshops and more for musicians to make and record music, tour and develop business and marketing skills.
• Support the creation of dedicated artist-centric spaces and, possibly a centralized music hub for musicians and businesses to research, experiment and test ideas.
• Nurture, grow and attract music businesses and music-related technology and multimedia sectors to support local artists.
• Build partnerships with K-12 schools, arts education organizations, Northwest Arkansas Community College and the University of Arkansas to expand music education and create pipelines of local skills and creativity.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Council
"For a long time, Fayetteville was the only real game in town as far as the 'music business' or any sort of thriving music industry. As the other three cities grew, so did their need for their own entertainment and business options," Locke said.
Shindigmusic is an integrated media company focusing on the Arkansas music scene and promotes local and regional artists, album releases, live events, videos and news, he said.
Locke said he participated in the initial roundtable meetings and served on the Northwest Arkansas Music Task Force that met in February to help review the Northwest Arkansas Music Ecosystem Strategy and Action Plan's final draft.
The Northwest Arkansas Council worked with global cultural planning firm Sound Diplomacy to develop the plan over 15 months beginning in April 2018. The council is a group of local leaders set up to foster regional cooperation.
Research focused on Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale, according to the plan. Information was gathered through online surveys; engagements with musicians, venue owners, music teachers, property developers and city officials; and an open forum in September 2018.
The resulting strategy is part of a continuing process to develop a more equitable, profitable and unique music "ecosystem" in the area, said Shain Shapiro, Sound Diplomacy founder and CEO, in the report. A music ecosystem is in constant evolution and includes the music industry, music education, city regulation and supporting industries, according to the Sound Diplomacy website.
Plan Progression
Key opportunities for further growth of the music industry in Northwest Arkansas will be implemented over the next three years, according to the plan.
Its success depends on a collaboration of entities in the region, to include city governments, musicians, business owners, music professionals, students, tourism associations, universities and other music education providers, according to the plan.
"Music is one of the most accessible and engaging art forms around the world," said Allyson Esposito, executive director of a regional arts service organization in a news release. "We have a critical mass of talented musicians working across all genres in Northwest Arkansas, and we must do more to leverage the existing creativity, expertise and assets in our community, while at the same time boosting regional assets with national and global connections."
A regional arts service organization was created in August by the Northwest Arkansas Council and will lead the implementation of the plan's recommendations.
Northwest Arkansas' music industry generated $389 million in annual economic output and 3,972 jobs in 2016, according to the plan.
The United States is home to the world's biggest music market and accounts for one-third of the world's recorded music market, according to The U.S. Music Industries: Jobs and Benefits report by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The U.S. music industry added $143 billion to the economy in 2016 and contributed to about 1.9 million jobs, according to the report. The federation is a nonprofit international organization registered in Switzerland promoting the economic value of music and its cultural role in society and people's lives.
The council's plan notes the music industry has grown by 104% in Northwest Arkansas from 2002 and 2016, and the region includes some 418 music assets.
"I think it's a testament to the appetite of people wanting to continue to have an escape from reality," said Brian Crowne, owner of George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville and vice president of the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers. Crowne said he was among those who were interviewed by Sound Diplomacy and completed questionnaires to develop the strategic plan.
The region's music education, places, industry, media and festival assets were compiled for the report.
The greatest music representation in the region is in the form of music choirs at 94, music schools at 50, and bars, cafes and restaurants that feature music at 47, according to the report. The region's lowest represented music assets include nightclubs with music programs at six; purpose-built music venues, technical contractors for the music business, rehearsal spaces and other music businesses tied at five; and record labels at three.
Strengths and weaknesses
The plan noted several strengths in Northwest Arkansas' music industry, including the region's proximity to music hubs such as Nashville and Tulsa, Okla. The region's closeness to such locations makes it a good possible performance destination for performers passing through the area while on tour, according to the plan.
The region has likewise benefited from daily and free music activities and events; access to an increasing number of private, nongovernmental and philanthropic funding resources; a large pool of aspiring local talent; and a supportive scene for songwriters, according to the plan.
Northwest Arkansas' weaknesses include an undeveloped nighttime economy and a tendency for cities and music professionals to operate independently, rather than working with regional partners, according to the plan.
"It makes sense for different venues and entities around the region to program music during the evening," Crowne said of further developing the region's nighttime economy. "As we see more coffee houses and restaurants that might find live entertainment as an amenity to help attract more people to their businesses, I think there'll be a natural cycle of that continuing to grow -- especially with the investment of all the cities to kind of really speak to the cultural aspect of our region."
It's important for cities and entities in the region to be collaborative about what they're offering so they can avoid cannibalizing each other in their genre and artist programming, Crowne said.
"It's challenging, but I think you have a population base that wants it, and you have cities and entities that are committed to helping see it grow," he said. "I just think it's going to be one step at a time, and I think smart people are going to be paying attention to what's going on, and the right people will be talking to each other."
Crowne said it will be important to understand the economic value of what's being offered in the region for the public and the performing artists.
"I feel like I'm a music farmer, and I'm always trying to find out what the next good crop is and a new band that I can cultivate and grow," he said.
"It's kind of a big beta test that we're fixing to go into," Crowne said. "It's exciting for our region."
NW News on 03/23/2020
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Council has a plan for Northwest Arkansas' music industry - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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