Earlier this year, Lafayette Consolidated Government released findings from the 2024 Lafayette Music Census.
The census, conducted by Sound Music Cities, uncovered some interesting data. The area’s music sector generates $13.2 million in reported revenue each year, but identified a few key challenges for the industry: audience outreach, professional support services and youth engagement.
In order to address those challenges, LCG has released a Lafayette Music Database to continue to collect information from musicians, members of Lafayette’s music community, and supporters of the local music scene.
By filling out the database survey at lafayettemusiccensus.com/join, respondents can stay connected to upcoming opportunities and next steps in the Lafayette Music Ecosystem Strategy & Action Plan, according to Jamie Boudreaux, chief communications officer for LCG.
The Lafayette Music Census was the first major, community-wide effort to gather data on Lafayette’s music economy, and the census generated over 500 responses from artists, venue owners, sound engineers, educators and others who work with music.
The full report, which can be found at lafayettemusiccensus.com, found that Acadiana’s musicians are highly experienced — 82% have over 10 years of experience, and 63% are over 40 years of age. The musicians represent genres from Cajun and zydeco to rock, classical and R&B, and a vast majority (85%) rely on non-music jobs as their primary source of income.
READ MORE: New study could help bolster Lafayette’s music ecosystem: ‘Data is the language of policy’
It contains fascinating trivia about an industry that intersects deeply with the lives of Acadiana residents, such as the fact that venues host an average of 55 live events per year, totaling 1,979 events annually.
Next steps for the Lafayette Music Ecosystem Strategy & Action Plan include naming a music liaison — Sami Parbhoo with the LCG trade and cultural center is serving in that role, said Boudreaux — and forming an informal music advisory committee. The initial work of the committee is to boost audience development with a central events calendar, expand youth music programming, and open a music industry hub for networking and professional development.
In the next phase of the music census, Lafayette will join the 2025 Sound Music Cities multi-city cohort, a network that allows cities to share best practices in building a music-friendly civic environment. Participating cities include Charlotte, North Carolina, Baltimore, Maryland and Detroit, Michigan.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theadvocate.com ’
