New figures released by the Mayor of London today have revealed that after a decade of decline, the number of grassroots music venues in the city is no longer falling, and their numbers have stabilised following a number of measures to champion and protect these crucial venues.
The Mayor of London has now created the first-ever map of the full range of music facilities across the city. By taking into account music venues, recording studios and rehearsal spaces, the new map will be used to help protect and nurture the music scene and the facilities it needs across the capital.
Boroughs, developers and music operators will now be able to see the areas where musical activity is most concentrated, or where more facilities of a particular type – from music performance and rehearsal spaces to recording and production spaces – are needed. The research has so far found more than 1000 venues hosting a regular schedule of music, this includes 94 grassroots music venues, 38 musical theatres and over 500 pubs and bars. It also mapped 75 recording studios, 83 rehearsal spaces contributing to London’s music scene.
London is the home of the UK music industry which contributes £4.4 billion to the UK economy and sustains 142,000 jobs. The music industry plays a vital role in London’s role position as a global cultural capital[1], and this new and far-reaching approach represents a fantastic new opportunity for musicians all over London and beyond.
The Mayor is calling on Londoners and all those in the industry to use the map and feed into the research to ensure local venues, rehearsal spaces or small recording studios are also captured – the map is available here https://maps.london.gov.uk/music-facilities/.
