'The city did us proud' - Sunderland hosts global music leaders for landmark week
The music spotlight was well and truly on Sunderland as it hosted global leaders in their field.
Sunderland Music City welcomed global music leaders and artists during a landmark Summit Week programme, as the city became the first UK host of the Music Cities Network (MCN) Summer Summit.
Held between 17 and 21 June, Summit Week Sunderland brought together international delegates, local communities, emerging artists, industry professionals and music fans through a diverse programme of performances, conferences, showcases and community events.
The week comprised the MCN Summer Summit, a two-day conference at the Stadium of Light attended by 20 delegates from 15 cities including Sydney, Reykjavik and Berlin, as well as a wraparound public-facing celebration.
During the conference, delegates discussed challenges facing Sunderland’s music scene, as well as the music ecosystem in their own cities.
Also discussed was the future of Music Cities Network itself, and an exciting new artist space developed in Aarhus, Denmark.
The week also marked the culmination of Sunderland’s Year of Music, a twelve-month celebration of the city’s musical heritage and contemporary creative scene.
Summit Week began with a special performance at Arts Centre Washington, where Sunderland-born composer and conductor Ben Lunn joined Royal Northern Sinfonia for A Company of Musick and an original composition ANNA MARRA MISSA.
Highlights also included a TechNext Creative Hub at Sheepfolds Stables, which brought together creativity and technology and MCN Live at Independent, an international showcase bringing together six emerging artists from Sunderland, Lithuania, Germany and the Netherlands.
A major focus of Summit Week was supporting future creative careers and Sunderland City Hall hosted the A to B Early Career Musician’s Conference, delivered in partnership with We Make Culture, Music Connects Sunderland and The Bunker.
The free event brought together industry professionals, artists and aspiring musicians for a day of practical workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities and live performances.
Another highlight was An Evening with The Futureheads at The Fire Station and the unveiling of The Futureheads on the Sunderland Wall of Fame.
The week concluded on Sunday with Unity in the Community x Sunderland Music City at Sunderland Minster, the final day of the Sunderland Year of Music, as well as Make Music Day.
The free family-friendly event brought together a diverse programme of performers including Sunderland Symphony Orchestra, Small Town Brass, Lagos to Longbenton, Sacred Sounds CIC and DJ Banko.
Michelle Daurat, Sunderland Music City CEO said “Hosting the Music Cities Network in Sunderland was a proud moment for our city. The conversations throughout the Summit reinforced the vital role music plays in creating vibrant, connected and economically resilient cities.
“The delegates were impressed by the warmth, creativity and ambition they experienced from Sunderland’s music community. From our venues and artists to our partners and volunteers, the city did us proud and showed exactly why Sunderland is emerging as a leading Music City.”