Live Music Mapping
A project to map musical activity and business in localities in the UK and beyond. To provide insights for policymakers, creative practitioners and industry.
Live Music Mapping is an AHRC research project lead by Dr Adam Behr.
Our research examines the impact of shifts in the globalised music economy and national-level changes on localised cultural, social and economic actors from the perspective of cities and regions.
Starting with venues and live music, the team – from Newcastle University, University of Liverpool and Aston University – has facilitated the mapping of cities across the UK and Europe to support informed decision-making that fosters live music provision.
The mapping process is iterative and involves consultation with local stakeholders.
The team is moving towards mapping the full music ‘ecosystems’ of cities and regions. This will include all of the business and activities surrounding music making, and the relationships between them.
Having mapped the Liverpool City Region, the team are working on a full music ecosystem map of the North East with the North East Combined Authority.
The mapping development is supported by a grant from the AHRC’s Catalyst programme for a two-year project – the Live Music Mapping Project 2.0. This will use machine learning to automate the collection and analysis of live music data, providing real-time insights into the sector's regional impact.
Launched in early 2025, it will initially focus on key UK music hubs, with potential international expansion.
The project aims to support informed decision-making for policymakers, industry leaders, and local authorities, enhancing the socio-economic impact of live music and the night-time economy.
Through the use of these innovative digital tools, the mapping project will provide unprecedented capacity for iterative updating of information about local and regional music ecosystems, unlocking the potential for more responsive policymaking that addresses local needs and developments.
The first initiative of its kind to provide a scalable, automated data collection tool for music ecosystems, the project will give public policymakers and industry stakeholders accessible information about musical activity, alongside vital data – such as transport infrastructure, property developments and social.
The project is in partnership with:
- Generator (in Newcastle)
- the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA)
- Live Music Industry Venues and Entertainment (LIVE)
- the Liverpool and West Midlands City Region Music Boards
The project has the development of musical provision at its heart, through the use of up-to-date, cross-comparable information to help stakeholders enhance the resilience and sustainability of musical ecosystems across the country and beyond.