[URBAN NOTE] "Dreaming of Music City"

[rfmcdonald]

A multiply-authored article at NOW Toronto takes a look at what Toronto needs to do to become a pop music creative centre.

Ever since the formation of the Austin-Toronto Music City Alliance in 2013, there’s been lots of talk about making Toronto a “music city.” Loosely defined, a music city is a place like Austin or Montreal or New York City with a vibrant music economy. Where innovative and diverse shows and festivals happen regularly and are well attended. Where, more than anything, hard-working local musicians and music-related businesses – record labels, concert promoters, live music venues, recording studios, etc – can sustain a career for a long time.

Ask the average independent local musician or music businessperson – we’ve talked to 10 of them for this story – about what it’s like out there in the dark bars and basements of Toronto and you’ll quickly hear that the struggle is real. The issue of the exorbitant cost of living comes up over and over again, in addition to out-of-control residential and commercial rental rates, lack of venue spaces and safety, scene segregation related to race, gender, sexuality and mobility, and barriers to government funding and international opportunities.

The Toronto Music Advisory Council was formed three years ago to help keep music sector growth top of mind on city council, and on March 31 of this year, council unanimously adopted the TMAC’s official music strategy, which made recommendations in the areas of affordable housing, fair compensation for musicians, improved access to health and dental care, better dissemination of grant and funding information and the creation of a “music hub,” to name a few.

A few city-fuelled initiatives have come to fruition since then: the Toronto Music Directory (an interactive map and industry database); the Music In The Parks permit category as part of the Arts In The Parks program; Music 311 and Live From City Hall showcases, the Austin-Toronto Music Industry Summit in June. But the meat-and-potatoes stuff remains vague, and whether the strategy becomes a reality depends on the 2017 budget.

For example, when it comes to the affordable housing file, entertainment lawyer Andreas Kalogiannides, TMAC’s co-chair, told NOW he’s working with the city and “looking forward to a positive partnership to develop innovative housing solutions.” (Kalogiannides cites a lack of consistent, well-paid performance opportunities and affordable housing – and the resultant loss of musicians to places like Hamilton and other Canadian cities – as major barriers to success, which results in a “net loss to the city of the many benefits of a healthy creative class, [like] strong communities, arts education programs, a vibrant social scene and the huge economic contributions made by musicians and music businesses.”)

Multiple interviews with people who have relevant ideas feature. This is a must-read.