Sunderland strikes a chord as official music city

Sunderland has been officially recognised on the global stage for its rich musical heritage and thriving creative scene.

The North East city has been accepted into the Music Cities Network, making it only the second UK city, after Manchester, to join the international collective. 

The network, established in 2016, connects cities worldwide to support music industry growth, economic development and cultural exchange.

Now listed alongside global music hubs such as Sydney and Berlin, Sunderland’s inclusion reflects its “proud and storied” musical history and commitment to fostering local talent, with members of the Sunderland Music City team, who made the bid to join the network, hailing the accreditation as a “remarkable achievement” and saying “it’s a title that Sunderland will wear with great pride”.

Andrew Dipper, marketing director at Sunderland Music City, which was established in June 2024, said: “Being part of the Music Cities Network helps put a flag in the ground to show that this is the place to be for music lovers, musicians, and anyone wanting to make a career for themselves in music.

“Sunderland has always been a Music City, and now we’re in the best possible position to share that fact with the world.”

Andrew’s comments were echoed by Michelle Daurat, chief executive of the Sunderland MAC Trust and lead on Sunderland Music City, who added: “Becoming an official Music City is a fantastic recognition of both our heritage and the work we’ve done since we began this campaign.

“We started the Sunderland Music City project knowing we wanted to do something big to highlight what an incredible music scene we have here in Sunderland, and to help the city build on that foundation in the future. That’s exactly what the team has done. 

“We established our Music Office and built a team of people who are passionate about local music and who understand how important having access to music is, whether you’re a budding musician, a working professional, or a fan.

“This is just the beginning of the journey to create a lasting legacy for Sunderland.”

Membership of the network provides access to new collaborations, resources and advocacy to help strengthen the city’s music ecosystem and support cultural, social and economic development.

Lena Ingwersen, managing director of the Music Cities Network, added: “Sunderland is an amazing addition to the Music Cities Network – it has a proud and storied heritage of music, and an exciting future ahead.

“For us, the mindset of people is paramount, and the Sunderland Music City team’s energy, insight, and enthusiasm are outstanding. 

“We look forward to collaborating and learning from their ecosystem as we welcome Sunderland as our next city member.”

The announcement also reinforces the launch, today (21 January), of the Sunderland Music Strategy, a five-year plan developed with input from local musicians and industry professionals. 

Unveiled at an event at The Fire Station in the city, the strategy aims to drive investment, nurture emerging artists and inspire the next generation of music talent on Wearside and beyond.

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