Exploring the Power of Music in Place: IPM Meets Professor Kirsty Fairclough

The Institute of Place Management’s Dr Jenny Kanellopoulou and Rach Nickeas recently met with Kirsty Fairclough, Professor of Screen Studies at the Manchester School of Digital Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University, to discuss the growing relationship between music, culture and place.

Professor Kirsty Fairclough has built an extensive career working at the intersection of research, culture and industry, collaborating with media organisations such as BBC, ITV, and The New York Times, as well as cultural institutions including HOME Manchester, Manchester International Festival, Factory International, and the Manchester Jazz Festival, where she served as Chair for six years. Her research has also featured widely in national media including BBC News, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, The Guardian, and Creative Review.

Alongside her academic work, Professor Fairclough is also involved in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Music Commission, which is beginning work on a new music plan for the city region. The initiative reflects the growing importance of the creative industries within the UK’s industrial strategy, and the role that music and culture can play in shaping the identity, economy and vibrancy of places.

The meeting forms the latest part of IPM’s wider work to develop its research agenda around culture, high streets and place management. One of the key questions emerging from the discussion was:

How does grassroots music activity influence business confidence, footfall, and perceptions of place in town centres?

With many towns and cities looking for ways to increase footfall and support the vitality of high streets, understanding the role of local venues, small gigs and cultural activity is becoming increasingly important.

IPM will explore this theme further at an upcoming webinar on 22 April, which will examine the relationship between music and place. The session will bring together perspectives from research and practice to explore how music contributes to identity, economic activity, wellbeing and community life, and what place leaders can learn from music-led approaches.

IPM is keen to hear from organisations and practitioners who are using music to animate high streets and town centres, as these examples will help inform future research and policy discussions.

You can register for the 22 April webinar, where Kirsty will be speaking, using the link here.