For the next two hours until midnight tonight, we need as many votes as we can get. A vote for “How To Build A Music City” at SXSW 2016 could have significant impact on our music city.
VOTE:
– Visit http://panelpicker.sxsw.com
– Create an account through Panel Picker
– Enter “How To Build A Music City” into the search bar or go directly to
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/47555
– Vote for “How To Build A Music City” page by giving it a “thumbs up”
WHIPPING THE VOTE
Vote “How To Build A Music City” into SXSW 2016
By: Jason Turner
For almost three years CSA co-founder Joey Hendrickson has been working to elevate musicians and songwriters in our city. In 2014 he launched the “How To Build A Music City” panel event, which brings music industry experts to Columbus and invites them to discuss with local musicians and leaders about the methods used to build up the value of independent music in cities today.
“After observing the music culture in L.A., I realized that Columbus has music talent that’s on the same level as some of our country’s most recognized music cities. But we could certainly benefit from some of the infrastructure that recognized music cities like Los Angeles have developed,” said Hendrickson. “I started researching city development around music and my curiosity got the best of me. I took a few months to reach out to music commissions around the United States. I asked a lot of questions and learned that music plays a key role in economic development for many cities like Austin, Toronto, and Seattle.”
Experience Columbus and GCAC took notice of How To Build A Music City efforts, and helped bring musicians, leaders, and supporters together to discuss issues and potential opportunities that could add value to our city. Leaders in music, arts, and commerce gathered informally for discussion. Together, they landed on about 20 different programs that could attract endless opportunities to the music community in Columbus.
This discussion led to more How To Build A Music City events in Columbus. The last was on June 25th at Garden Theatre. The next will involve music city experts from Seattle, Austin, Toronto, Louisville, and Cincinnati, who will interact with audiences and volunteer teams at Independents Day Music Festival on September 20th.
Simultaneously, Hendrickson has been encouraged to submit How To Build A Music City to the biggest music forum in the country—South by Southwest.
Linda Lorence (Vice President of SESAC), Amy Terril (VP of Public Relations at Music Canada), and Kate Becker (Head of the Seattle Film + Music Office) offered to join How To Build A Music City at SXSW in March 2016. “Through it, I think we can show other cities that music development is possible on a community level,” he said. “What’s happening in Columbus is unique, because we’re doing it from the ground up. Our musicians are more than capable of building some of these programs through the support of the city. And I think there are greater benefits that will happen for our music scene – not only economically, but also culturally – when our community owns this and creates it together. And I want the world to know what’s happening here.”
But the proposed How To Build A Music City panel needs to be approved by the SXSW selection committee. As one would imagine, the approval process for SXSW is highly selective, with nearly 4,500 submissions whittled down to just a dozen or so. 30 percent of the overall grade is determined through public votes.
“I think 500 votes will help the selection committee take notice,” said Hendrickson.
If approved, the panel will feature music industry experts including Amy Terrill of Music Canada; Kate Becker, Head of the Seattle Film + Music Office; and Linda Lorence, Vice President of SESAC and President of the music publishing group NYC3.
The panel will focus on emerging strategies for economic development through the arts and discuss best practices for music city development.
“The goal is to equip musicians, entrepreneurs and innovators with strategies and tools they can use to build up the value of music in their respective cities, from the ground up,” Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson also hopes those who attend the event will stay in touch and take full advantage of the support and resources that music cities around the world are offering through research and counsel.
“We’ll have one main event that will gather musicians from around the country to join the discussion,” he added. “Together, we’ll be able to help some of the smaller creative cities become music cities by sharing these models used in Columbus and other places to help them support independent music in their hometowns.”
Getting to SXSW will take a group effort, said Hendrickson, and so will the ongoing task of building a national network of artists and entrepreneurs who are committed to increasing the value of independent music in their communities.
“I think we’ll be successful if real relationships form and people from across the U.S. stay connected to Columbus and to each other,” he said.
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VOTE:
– Visit http://panelpicker.sxsw.com
– Create an account through Panel Picker
– Enter “How To Build A Music City” into the search bar or go directly to
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/47555
-Select the “How To Build A Music City” page by giving it a “thumbs up”
For more information check out our video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkQk2BIEi4
columbussongwritersassociation.com 
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