Making live music count: The UK live music census

In 2017 the authors of this paper conducted the first-ever nationwide live music census, allowing for an unprecedented level of detailed comparable data on the live music cultures of different localities. Live music censuses have been increasingly used in recent years (e.g. Melbourne, Austin, Edinburgh, Bristol) as a tool for illustrating the value of music to policymakers. This has also coincided with a challenging period for live music venues in urban areas, particularly small venues and clubs. We present key findings from the census here, reflecting on how local contexts both shape the census process and may be informed by it, and on the growing use of the idea of “Music Cities” to inform policy.