Musicians, promoters and venues across Tees Valley are to benefit from a major new multi-million pound project to develop a thriving and sustainable local music scene.
Sonic Futures is a new TVCA-funded programme which will develop new local talent, support the area’s live music venues and recording studios and build its profile as a centre for musical creativity.
Delivering more than £2million of investment to key areas, this new partnership led by North East music industry specialists, Generator, and Tees Music Alliance, will set the next generation of talent up for success.
The launch of Sonic Futures was orchestrated at the Georgian Theatre, in Stockton.
Those attending included Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, and senior industry figures including Joe Frankland, CEO of PRS Foundation, Austin Daboh, Executive Vice President of Atlantic Records UK, Yaw Owusu, an experienced Creative Consultant who has worked on major music projects, and Nina Radojewski, the Head of Membership at the Association of Independent Music.
Sonic Futures will include ring-fenced funding for Tees Valley-based bands and artists to boost their careers alongside support for music education and plans to grow the region’s festival scene.
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Its aim is to boost the Tees Valley economy by £6million and create 120 jobs over the next three years while increasing ticket sales and growing visitor numbers.
Award-winning Middlesbrough artist Amelia Coburn, who is receiving support under the separate TVCA-funded Artists of the Year programme, performed at the launch.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “From artists to concert promoters and venue owners, we have fantastic people working across our local music industry but it’s essential we provide the right support to nurture and grow this talent.
“We have huge potential and Sonic Futures will support our ambition to develop Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool as a place that is renowned for its great live music scene, superb labels and recording studios and somewhere musicians and music professionals can build lasting careers.”
Sonic Futures will also see the establishment of an industry-led Tees Valley Music Board responsible for delivering on key objectives.
It will include partnerships with PRS Foundation, Warner Music UK, PPL and many other leading organisations across the sector.
And it will work to develop local music production infrastructure through support for record labels, production facilities and greater links with the growing TV, film and gaming sectors across Tees Valley.
Generator’s CEO Mick Ross said: “Expanding our work in the Tees Valley is not only a logical step to transform the music industry infrastructure there but a pan-regional approach to reach the next generation of talent.
“The Northern music scene is thriving, and partnerships like this ensure this continued success. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Tees Valley Combined Authority and Tees Music Alliance on this new project.”
North-East based Generator holds new partnerships with both Universal and Warner Music – which also provides a unique opportunity over other northern regions.
Founded in 1991, Newcastle-based Generator’s vision is to create a sustainable music industry in the North East that ensures access without barriers. By 2027, it will build on its 30-year legacy to become the UK’s leading creative development agency.
Generator has built a reputation for developing new artists, creative enterprises and business opportunities, and connecting people and communities for the development of the creative industries in the region.
Using masterclasses, panel discussions, conferences, and full-week residencies, its music and creative development programmes cover all aspects of the industry and equips participants with the skills, knowledge and expertise to make a career in music.
Its Skills For Growth programme with North of Tyne Combined Authority will also see the introduction of groundbreaking new technical qualifications for the live sector, hands on workshops, one of a kind events and new learning opportunities.
Recent studies of the Tees Valley music industry show it has a current value of £20m per year – and industry experts believe it has the potential to more than double in value to £44m per year and spawn hundreds more jobs.
Paul Burns, CEO of Tees Music Alliance, added: “It’s fantastic for TMA to be part of such a comprehensive programme of skills development and capacity building, at an unprecedented level of investment for our sector.
“We’re looking forward to getting our sleeves rolled up and getting to work on helping our local music industry to develop and thrive.”
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