FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2024
CONTACT
JR Russ (he/they)
(202) 615-4059
[email protected]
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Launches Groundbreaking DC Area Music Census to Strengthen Local Music Ecosystem
Washington, DC - The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has launched the DC Area Music Census today, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The Census is a community-led initiative to gain a better understanding of the current needs of the Greater Washington DC-area music community. Over the past month, the Commission has met with partners and members of the music community throughout the DC Metropolitan Area to inform them of the importance of participating in the Census.
The Census is completely anonymous, designed for all members of the music ecosystem (creators, producers, venues, engineers, music industry employees), and covers the broader DC Metropolitan Area including: Washington DC, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Howard, Frederick, Charles, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William counties as well as Arlington City, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax City, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
To launch the DC Area Music Census, the Commission has teamed up with a national cohort of cities organized by Sound Music Cities, a leading Austin-based provider of music ecosystem studies and music census work. Other cities that are part of the cohort include Baltimore, Cleveland, New Orleans, and Minneapolis, many of which are scheduled to launch their own Music Censuses in 2024.
The Census will capture key information about the DC area music economy to help the city and community make more informed, data-driven decisions to support the music ecosystem. The Census asks questions specific to the realities of music and live entertainment workers. This includes general information about their demographics and occupation types as well as their experiences and perspectives on issues such as diversity, equity, and belonging.
If the Music Census is successful, the Commission plans to continue with the Census project across other arts disciplines in the District including, theater, dance, and visual art.
Lead partners for the Census include the DC Office of Cable Television Film Music and Entertainment, The Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture, and Arlington Arts. There are over 75 community partners consisting of artists and music organizations. For those who are interested in becoming a partner and helping spread the word, you can fill out the partnership form on the website.
Music community members may take the Census by visiting dcmusiccensus.org.