Music and the city

High Notes

Three weeks is about as much time as you require to develop a perspective on a city's cultural pulse. And if you really press your ear to the ground, you could probably come up with one in far less time.

This is the conclusion that I have drawn, having spent the last three weeks in my temporarily adopted home city of Brisbane, Australia.

As I have learnt, one of the most vital elements to a culturally dynamic city is largely dependent on how much of a street culture or cultural vibe it has.

By this, I not only refer to the many musicians and performers that perform on the streets but also to the variety of freely distributed music and entertainment magazines that list, feature and review entertainment events, the many posters and flyers that you will find in likely and unlikely places announcing events, the active use of "word of mouth" to promote events and the promotion of entertainment on freely available city guides and maps. All of which ensure that if you are looking for entertainment at any given point in the week, it's never too hard to find.

But a street culture like this can only exist in a city that already has the infrastructure for this, including an ample number of venues, government cooperation in terms of state funding, time allowances, use of public spaces and possibly even tax allowances.

Brisbane is a good example of a city like this and over the last decade and a half, it has been rather successful at establishing itself as a city committed to the arts and to music in particular, especially after major music success like Savage Garden and the Powderfinger.

It has a firm infrastructural foundation to support the thriving local live music scene that comprises mostly original music and also has a steady flow of international artistes from across the world, performing in the city on a weekly basis.

The importance of a music culture like this is not just one that benefits people looking to have a good time. While that is one obvious benefit, it is equally important to consider the economic benefits derived from this in terms of contributions to the city's economy simply through the money that is generated from these events. And this is when promoting the arts becomes a part of the city's primary agenda.

As a strategy this has been adopted by many cities globally who already are, or aspire to be, commercial hotspots. A city like San Francisco is a case in point, where it has successfully cultivated a cultural environment to suit the business environment.

The very sound logic behind this is that in order to attract major businesses and their employees and thereby to increase its commercial capacity, the city needs to offer lifestyle options and a vibrant social scene that is culturally relevant to people and businesses that are looking to work there. With its mass appeal and crossover potential, music plays a significant role in promoting a city's cultural reputation.

Given their economic and cultural potential, this is a strategy that could be put to great use in many of India's cities but unfortunately, most cities in India seem to be quite unsuccessful at exploiting their full cultural potential. But that's another story.

(craig_fernandes@hotmail.com)