Published by St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, May 2016 © Áine Mangaoang and John O’Flynn 2016 The Mapping Popular Music in Dublin ( MPMiD) research project sought to map popular music experience in Dublin by looking at...
morePublished by St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, May 2016
© Áine Mangaoang and John O’Flynn 2016
The Mapping Popular Music in Dublin ( MPMiD) research project sought to map popular music experience in Dublin by looking at popular music from the viewpoint of fans (citizens and tourists), musicians, and music industry personnel. By providing the first comprehensive overview of popular music experience in Dublin to date, this report aims to inform tourism, civic, culture and music industry organisations.
➔ This applied research project used a mixture research methods including:
◆ Intelligence from secondary literature and previous studies;
◆ Participant observation at a range of concerts, festivals, gigs, and other
musicrelated events;
◆ Esurvey open to all members of the public;
◆ Music mapmaking workshops at various locations and open to all members of
the public;
◆ Indepth consultations and semistructured interviews with select individuals
working within Dublin’s popular music industries and related fields.
➔ The findings of this report are based on analysis from 537 primary sources as follows
◆ 366 esurvey respondents;
◆ 41 handdrawn music maps of Dublin;
◆ 44 consultations and/or semistructured interviews with individuals and
organisations (directly and indirectly involved in Dublin’s popular music ecology);
◆ 97 individual or separate performances observed by the research team (of this
97, nine acts/artists were observed twice during the 12month research period);
◆ Observations of a total of 86 different artists, bands, and DJs;
◆ Visits to 35 different Dublin music venues, places and spaces.
➔ This research has for the first time confirmed Dublin as a centre for popular music experience according to the overwhelming majority of research participants.
➔ Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of MPMiD respondents believed in an identifiable popular music ‘sound or ‘sounds’ for Dublin.
➔ This research demonstrates how popular music can be valued and enjoyed in varied ways in Dublin, through gig attendance, media engagement, music making or museum attendance/ tour participation; or for entertainment, aesthetic, narrative, memory, social, and other ‘extramusical’ reasons.
We recommend the development of a music ecology strategy for Dublin, with input from music industry concerns, civic agencies, tourism agencies and industries, media organizations, musicians and other workers in the field, music networks, arts and education provision services and community groups. Ultimately, the strategic development of such an ecological approach would be of mutual benefit to the various private and public bodies concerned, as well as to residents of, and visitors to the city.
➔ Under a popular music ecology model, it can be observed that while Dublin is well served by a number of established large and mediumsized venues, the fate of smaller spaces that support emerging music scenes, networks and genres is far less secure. We recommend strategies that broaden tourist and visitor experience, a nd also s upport emerging music scenes.
➔ Based on our findings, we recommend that those at the frontline of the tourism industry are informed and equipped with the necessary knowledge to optimally promote the rich diversity of Dublin's musics. As an initial step in this direction and following official completion of the MPMiD project, the project team collaborated with professional designers and illustrators to develop a researchinformed D ublin Music Map, with additional funding for printing provided by Fáilte Ireland.
➔ This research has identified a greater potential for the development of both official and commercial Dublin music tourism initiatives through a range of proposed actions including (a) establishing a temporary task force to liaise public and private interests for consolidated planning in advance of visiting high profile acts, and (b) establishing a committee representing civic, statutory, industry (tourism and music) and academic interests to coordinate the curation of popular music memorabilia and archives in Dublin.
➔ Securing the Future: Youth / AllAges Popular Music Provision. W e recommend a feasibility study that explores options to establish youthfriendly and communityfocused concert and event spaces in Dublin city centre, facilities which are currently lacking
Our research findings revealed considerable gender imbalance, not only in respect of voluntary participants but much more dramatically in the almost negligible presence of female artists in dominant narratives and representations of music in Dublin. We recommend building on emerging strategies to redress this imbalance, such as through curated exhibitions and performances, and by greater visibility for female musicians, past and present, in publicly sanctioned tours and monuments throughout the city.
➔ The restrictive nature of early closing times for music venues in Dublin, in comparison with other major European cities, curbs the development of certain musical styles. Extending the opening hours of music venues at the weekend would better facilitate a range of music genres, promote a burgeoning DJ scene, and further Dublin and Ireland’s reputation as a tourist destination for young people.
➔ Consolidating Efforts to Promote Dublin as a 'City of Music'. MPMiD’s focus on popular music could be replicated or adapted in subsequent studies that explore contemporary experience and heritage in other genres, notably traditional music and classical music. Building a strong base of empirical evidence on Dublin’s varied musical life and its broader music ecology will greatly enhance proposals to designate it as a ‘City of Music’ in the future.
