Six Focus Areas Strengthening Liverpool City Region’s Music Ecosystem

To support the Liverpool City Region Music Board’s key priorities for 2026 and beyond, a series of task and finish groups have been established in response to areas identified through sector consultation. Each group is led by an LCR Music Board member and brings together key players and stakeholders locally, who have specialist knowledge in the priority areas.

The groups have now defined their initial objectives, providing a clear framework for focused action, collaboration and impact.

The Music Board’s six sub-groups focus on the following areas:

• Music Export — Chaired by Jennifer Johnston
• Music Education — Chaired by Mel Burton
• AI & Innovation — Chaired by Adrian Bell
• Sustainability — Chaired by Ben Williams
• Music Venues & Live — Chaired by Jade Burns
• UNESCO & Music Month — Chaired by Francesco Carrasco and Paul Gallagher

Music Export

The Music Export task and finish group focuses on supporting artists, labels and music businesses across the Liverpool City Region to export their work internationally, enabling sustainable growth while strengthening the region’s position as a globally significant music hub.

The group is exploring key barriers to export, including rising costs and administrative challenges for international touring, alongside the practical considerations facing music businesses. An immediate priority is to gather insight from independent artists and labels to better understand their needs and clarify export pathways in an increasingly complex environment.

The group is also contributing to discussions around the development of the ‘Music Export Office: North of England’, supporting access to funding and practical assistance at both regional and national levels. In parallel, it is advocating for increased government support for music export to ensure the sector can compete and thrive internationally.

AI and Music Innovation

The AI and Music Innovation task and finish group is focused on developing a clear, practical and principles-led approach to artificial intelligence within Liverpool City Region’s music ecosystem.

Its immediate priority is to establish a concise, Liverpool-specific framework setting out shared principles around consent, control, compensation and attribution. Rather than prescriptive rules or technology-specific guidance, the framework aims to provide clarity for artists, music businesses, educators and partners, supporting informed decision-making, responsible experimentation and consistent messaging across the region.

Alongside this, the group is improving understanding of real-world AI capability and skills needs within the sector, distinguishing between practical operational use cases and more speculative applications. The group aims to align with existing initiatives, such as Music Futures, and explore how AI can be showcased, debated and critically examined through established events and forums.

Music Education

The Music Education task and finish group is focused on strengthening the music education ecosystem across the Liverpool City Region.

Its work centres on improving connections between the music industry and educational settings, creating clearer and more accessible pathways for young people to gain meaningful experience and insight into music-related careers.

A key ambition is to deliver a targeted regional promotional initiative that brings together the full range of musical opportunities offered across the city region and makes them more visible and accessible to young people. The group is also committed to improving collaboration and shared understanding between organisations, encouraging a more joined-up approach to delivering high-quality musical experiences and outcomes.

Music Venues and Live

The Music Venues and Live sub-group focuses on improving the experience of attending and performing live music across the Liverpool City Region, making it easier, more affordable and more attractive for artists, venues and audiences.

Its work includes exploring practical measures to reduce barriers for gig-goers and musicians, alongside initiatives that enhance the visibility, accessibility and overall quality of live music. The group is committed to grounding its activity in robust evidence, aligning with existing sector research to avoid duplication and strengthen the case for continued investment.

Drawing inspiration from other global music cities, the group is also exploring opportunities to amplify the city region’s cultural profile and advocate for fair and proportionate support for the live music sector, contributing to a more resilient and connected live music ecosystem.

Sustainability

The Sustainability task and finish group is focused on strengthening sustainability within the local music industry and aligning activity with the UN Accelerator City (UNAC) programme.

Early priority areas include energy use, audience travel, organisational culture, and food and drink. Potential projects under development include supporting Scope 1 and 2 emissions reductions with an initial focus on venues; exploring Power Purchase Agreements; developing a diesel-free roadmap for venues in line with the UNAC Statement of Intent; and embedding Ticket and Gig smart integrated travel guidance as standard practice across the city region.

The group is also exploring the cultural role of music in sustainability, considering how artists, venues and organisations can connect climate action with audiences’ values, tell compelling stories and encourage positive behaviour change.

UNESCO

The UNESCO  task and finish group focuses on strengthening and developing Liverpool’s status as a UNESCO City of Music, ensuring the designation delivers tangible value for the city region’s music ecosystem.

The group provides strategic direction to the Music Board on UNESCO-related policy and workstreams, including promoting and amplifying the UNESCO City of Music brand locally, nationally and internationally. It is exploring how the status can be better utilised to support music tourism, enhance international profile and foster collaboration with other UNESCO Cities of Music.

The group is also considering how UNESCO status can more effectively support local musicians and music businesses, including opportunities for international showcasing, exports and professional development, alongside assessing the resources required to support delivery and maximise sector-wide benefit.