The Fire Station proudly announced the event: “Explore the business of music with an expert panel of guests offering a local, national, and international perspective on the music economy:
David Brewis Mercury Prize Nominated Artist, Music Producer and Studio owner. Since 2005, David Brewis has been writing, recording, and releasing records as part of the Mercury Prize-nominated Field Music. He released their latest album, Limits of Language, in 2024, and has worked on a variety of other projects, as well as touring extensively across Europe and North America. David has also written music for live film scores and culture and heritage commissions, as well as producing, recording, and mixing music for other artists. He owns and runs Field Music Studios, a large multi-room recording space in Sunderland.
Carly Davidson, Global Tour manager. Carly Davidson has over two decades of experience working in music and is currently a global tour manager for bands including Foals, Friendly Fires and Everything Everything. Alongside her work as a tour manager operating within the UK and internationally, Carly is a show rep for a number of international promoters and has worked on events of all shapes and sizes, including major stadium shows.
Darren Henley CBE Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Chair of the UK National Lottery Forum, and former Managing Director of Global Radio. Darren began his career as a freelance radio journalist and newsreader at Classic FM before rising to Managing Director of Global Media in 2006. In 2014 was appointed Chief Executive of Arts Council England. Darren holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Sunderland and was awarded an OBE for services to music in 2013, as well as a CBE for services to the arts in 2022.
Lena Ingwersen is the Managing Director of the Music Cities Network – a transnational non-profit association uniting Music Cities and policy makers around the globe. With more than 15 years of experience in the music industry, Lena is committed to bettering structures, intensifying borderless cultural exchange, and creating sustainable business opportunities via the Music Cities Network.
Our engaging panel will share real world success stories and practical advice to take your music business to the next level. They will also discuss the key pillars of the Sunderland Music Strategy, a new framework to guide, inspire and grow the regional music economy and the next generation of music talent on Wearside and beyond.
Hosted by Frankie Francis of Sunderland Music City in partnership with the Northeast Business Innovation Centre (BIC) represented by the director of the BIC Paul McEldon OBE this is a unique opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of the music industry and help drive your business forward.
And so the scene was set for an exciting afternoon which began with the Growth Lab, a panel discussion that brought together key figures from the music world. Lena Ingwersen, Managing Director of the Music Cities Network, joined Darren Henley CBE Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Carly Davidson Global Tour manager, and David Brewis of Field Music to share their insights on how Sunderland could capitalise on becoming a music city. The discussion covered everything from nurturing local talent and improving venue infrastructure to the city’s potential for cultural and economic growth.
It was fascinating to hear from such a range of perspectives. Lena Ingwersen’s passion for fostering connections between cities was evident, while Darren Henley highlighted the importance of the arts in creating a vibrant, thriving community. Carly Davidson’s experience as a global tour manager brought an international perspective, and David Brewis offered a grounded view from his perspective as a Mercury Prize-nominated artist and proud Northeasterner.
This was followed by a series of presentations by Paul Callaghan, chair of the Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust, Michelle Daurat, Chief Executive of the Sunderland MAC Trust and lead on Sunderland Music City, Paul McEldon Director of the BIC, Michael Mordey leader of Sunderland Council, Andrew Dipper, Marketing Director at Sunderland Music City, Marty Longstaff and Frankie Francis of Sunderland Music City. Marty provided a short musical interlude, demonstrating the power and importance of music to Sunderland and the overall event and ethos of the whole project.
And then Paul Callaghan made the big announcement. Sunderland was officially a Music City. We have been granted the award! We all hoped that it was coming but it was great to hear it announced officially. Everyone in the Fire Station cheered and rose to their feet.
Sunderland is a music city!
This marked a historic moment for Sunderland’s music scene as the city was officially named a Music City, joining a prestigious global network that includes Berlin, Sydney, and Manchester. Sunderland is only the second UK city to be awarded this status.
Paul Callaghan said: “Being accepted into the Music Cities Network is a remarkable achievement for our city, reinforcing our identity as a vibrant cultural community where music thrives. We are delighted to be recognised internationally as a Music City. It’s a title that Sunderland will wear with great pride.
“Working with partners in some of the world’s most exciting music cities presents incredible opportunities for growth and development. We’re also excited to share our own insights and experiences with this wonderful community.”
Michelle Daurat, Chief Executive of the Sunderland MAC Trust and lead on Sunderland Music City, said: “Becoming an official Music City is a fantastic recognition of both our heritage and the work we’ve done since we began this campaign. We started the Sunderland Music City project knowing we wanted to do something big to highlight what an incredible music scene we have here in Sunderland, and to help the city build on that foundation in the future. That’s exactly what the team has done.”
“We established our Music Office and built a team of people who are passionate about local music and who understand how important having access to music is, whether you’re a budding musician, a working professional, or a fan. That passion is what’s going to drive us as we put our strategy into action. That strategy is a living document, and over the next five years, we’ll continue to monitor its social, economic, and cultural impact, adapting and improving it wherever we need to. There are a lot of challenges and opportunities ahead of us, and we’re already looking forward to celebrating our next milestone as we work together to support the musical community in our city.”
“This is just the beginning of the journey to create a lasting legacy for Sunderland.”
Andrew Dipper, marketing director at Sunderland Music City, said: “Being part of the Music Cities Network helps put a flag in the ground to show that this is the place to be for music lovers, musicians, and anyone wanting to make a career for themselves in music. Sunderland has always been a Music City, and now we’re in the best possible position to share that fact with the world.”
Marty Longstaff “I’ve been shouting about Sunderland for over a decade now with various hats on so why not shout about it some more and hopefully get a few eyes from elsewhere fixed on the great things that are happening in the city. With that will come a multitude of opportunities and connections for artists creating music now, and hopefully that will inspire the next generation to give it a good go and feel confident in their creativity. We’re as valid as anywhere else, we’ve just got to see that, and I think we do now.”
Frankie Francis, summed it up perfectly: “Sunderland was known for its shipbuilding and coal mining. While we should celebrate that, this is about forging a new identity. Music can be that identity.”
This event also marked the launch of Sunderland’s Year of Music, which will begin on World Music Day in June 2025. Over the next year, the city will host a packed calendar of events, including gigs, festivals, workshops, and community activities. The initiative aims to highlight under-represented genres, support emerging artists, and bring music to every corner of Sunderland.
As the panel concluded, live music took over, perfectly illustrating the vitality of Sunderland’s music scene. The Michael Young Jazz Trio set the tone with an intimate performance in The Engine Room, a fitting backdrop for the smooth, soulful melodies that filled the space. I know Michael better as Professor Michael Young, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Sunderland.
Leaving The Fire Station, I couldn’t help but feel excited for the city’s future. The passion and drive of everyone involved, from the panellists to the performers, made it clear that Sunderland’s music scene is in safe hands. As Lena Ingwersen put it, “Sunderland has an exciting future ahead.”
Many thanks to Chris for the photographs and manipulating the site, and the BBC, the Sunderland Echo, the Evening Chronicle and NARC magazine for the quotes above.
It was time to catch my taxi home. Later, however, the celebrations moved to The Peacock, where rising stars including Tom A Smith performed.
The journey as a Music City is just beginning, but with its proud heritage and dynamic community, the city is ready to embrace its new role on the world stage.
Vintagerock's Weblog. 