2019-08-22 17:05

Bergen, Manchester and Reykjavik join the MCN

Three new cities join the Music Cities Network, expanding the world wide network to 9 members in total. Let's get to know the new associates briefly: 

Bergen is Norway's second-largest city, known for its picturesque scenery and great music scene. With a population counting only 280.000 citizens, Bergen is the home to international acclaimed artists such as Röyksopp, Kings of Convenience, Alan Walker, Kygo, and Aurora. The coastal city has a diverse music scene with small and bigger acts always pushing the envelope. It’s a popular saying that the Bergen weather (200 + rainy days a year) has something to do with the vast number of people staying in-doors being creative. 

Music is part of Manchester’s DNA. The city is widely acknowledged as the UK’s music capital, with particular strengths in rock, pop, jazz, and classical music. Manchester is home to three professional orchestras and a sophisticated classical music education offer in Chetham’s School and the Royal Northern College of Music. It is famous for being home to bands such as The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Oasis, and Take That. It has thriving jazz and folk music scenes, with annual festivals to celebrate these genres. Furthermore, it has recently been named rock and indie capital of the UK based on the volume of live shows and events outperforming any other city in the country in the last few years.

When considering the widespread popularity of Icelandic music, the significance of Reykjavik’s vibrant creative scene cannot be surpassed. Despite its modest size, the city boasts a wealth of musical talent across genres and professions that have established Reykjavik as a remarkable and original music city. A range of progressive festivals with international outreach attract citizens and music tourists alike and provide fertile foundations for international networking for the city’s music industry.

The Music Cities Network is very much looking forward to working together with these music cities. All three are contributing with diverse and exciting music scenes, but at the same time share the same challenges when it comes to creating good frameworks for music within their cities. 

Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure for Manchester City Council: “Manchester is one of the most celebrated cities in the world when it comes to musical talent and our membership of the Music Cities Network is a brilliant indication of our future direction. We know that music has the power to inspire, uplift and change lives which is why we are so excited about the prospect of being able to tap into a vast network of ideas, support and inspiration across the MCN.”

Learn more about them all here

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