The Value of Collaboration and Creative Communities

By Rheana Forrester, Musician & Founder/Director, at The Narrative

The music industry is constantly evolving. There’s always a new platform, a fresh algorithm, or a shifting trend to keep up with. For artists balancing writing, recording, promoting and performing, it can feel overwhelming. But one thing doesn’t change: the value of collaboration, and the potential to grow together.

Collaboration means more people in your corner. Co-writers and producers who bring new perspectives to your sound. Industry professionals who believe in your work and help it reach the right ears. Fellow artists who share your releases, invite you onto line-ups, and introduce you to new audiences. Supporting others expands your network, develops your skills, and connects you to something bigger than yourself.

Liverpool has always had this spirit of collaboration at its core. From bands that changed the world to the next generation of independent artists finding their voice, the city thrives when creatives work together.

It’s this collaborative spirit that we encourage through The Narrative: a space for connection, conversation and shared experience. When a songwriter tells the story behind their song, they’re offering more than a performance. They’re opening the door to inspiration, empathy, relatability and exchange. Every song tells a story, and every story connects us to somebody else.

It’s often in these small, unscripted moments that Liverpool’s creative community really comes alive, where strangers become collaborators, bandmates, supporters and friends. One conversation or shared idea can spark a chain reaction, and that belief sits at the heart of how The Narrative began.

At The Narrative, performers share the stage in a Nashville-style songwriters’ round, creating a supportive, hierarchy-free environment for artists of different backgrounds, genres and experience levels. Sharing the stage also means sharing the audience, moving away from traditional set times where people often arrive for one act and miss the rest. The experience is collective. To support one performer is to support everyone.

When artists share audiences, resources and skills, everyone benefits. A songwriter collaborating with a new producer reaches different listeners. A band supporting another discovers new fans. Showcases and events spark partnerships that continue long after the night ends. These moments don’t need a marketing strategy. They grow naturally through connection.

Nothing compares to seeing collaborations form between people who first met at our events. A conversation turns into a writing session, a new project, a gig, or an ongoing partnership. These outcomes reflect the real value of creative community: ideas exchanged, confidence built, and artists realising they don’t have to do everything alone. What starts as a single spark often grows into something far bigger, strengthening both individuals and the wider scene.

In a world increasingly centred around technology and social media, focusing solely on numbers can make releasing music feel like a test rather than an expression. Conversations shift towards views, watch time and comparison, and it becomes easy to see peers as competition instead of collaborators. Creativity doesn’t thrive in competition. It thrives in community.

Community also creates a healthier mindset. Statistics don’t capture the moment an audience sings a chorus back, or when a co-writer pushes a song somewhere unexpected. Every number on a screen is a person. Someone choosing to spend time with your music. Seeing engagement as connection, rather than measurement, eases the pressure and reminds us why we create in the first place.

If we want a music scene that is creative, confident and sustainable, we have to keep building it together. Collaboration strengthens not only the music itself, but the people behind it. It supports wellbeing, development and the future of our music communities. By showing up for one another, we create a scene that doesn’t just survive change. It grows stronger because of it.

You can find more information about the Narrative’s regular events here. You can also find local music artists and professionals to collaborate with using our Directory.