CARDIFF IS
A MUSIC CITY

Cardiff is one of the fastest -growing cities in the UK and aspires to be a leader in the music cities movement, a standard of urban development which champions and promotes music as a tool for growth.

Cardiff already has a thriving music ecosystem, an amalgamation of live music opportunities from grassroots music venues to stadium shows. Music is woven into the city’s identity and history, with a world-class music offer and a springboard for Wales based bands to boost their careers.

The city’s music sector benefits from being aligned with a wider city regeneration strategy, with music at the heart of the development.

We endeavour to maintain a line of communication between policy makers and industry, also to adopting a collaborative approach that ensures that the city works to support and champion its musicians and music professionals.

CARDIFF MUSIC CITY STRATEGY

In 2019 a plan to unlock the full potential of Cardiff’s music sector by incorporating music into the city’s decision and policy-making was launched.

Sound Diplomacy Music, the global leaders of the music city movement, worked with Cardiff Council and music sector representatives in Cardiff for over 18months. This world-leading consultancy helps cities deliver economic growth, investment and cultural development through music, and consulted with hundreds of people working across Cardiff’s music industry.

Leader of Cardiff Council and Chair of the Cardiff Music Board, Cllr Huw Thomas, said:

“Music does a number of things for towns and cities. It creates jobs in itself. It creates a reason to be somewhere. It attracts visitors. It provides us with a sense of identity. And we also cannot ignore that music for music’s sake is a good thing.

“Cardiff is a city of artists, musicians, singers, producers, sound engineers, and of course, music lovers. All part of a wider creative community that is second to none in Britain, and who help make Cardiff one the most creative and inventive cities in the world. We’ve got talent, we’ve got venues, we’ve got spirit and we’ve got a cultural distinctiveness that sets us apart. Our Music Strategy will look at how we can maximise the economic and social value of music through collaboration.”

In 2024, the inaugural Cardiff Music City Festival took place – the biggest music festival ever held in the Capital, lasting 24 days and featuring more than 200 artists and 80 events spread across 25 venues. This project was a key project to support the Cardiff Music Strategy and music development in Cardiff.

The festival aimed to push the boundaries of music innovation, technology and performance. The vision was designed and developed by Cardiff’s culture team and wider music sector, supported by Welsh Government and Cardiff Council. The festival attracted thousands of music fans to performances by international artists, including Pino Palladino, Kneecap, Lauryn Hill, Leftfield and Orbital, as well as local talent such as Aleighcia Scott, Elkka, Mace the Great, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and N’famady Kouyate.

Other highlights of the festival included an industry conference featuring sessions with Radiohead’s Philip Selway and Lily Fontaine of Mercury Music Prize winners, English Teacher. Local drum n’ bass legend High Contrast also delivered a live-streamed music production masterclass as part of the festival.

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The Cardiff Music City project, led by Cardiff Council aspires to enhance the identity for the city’s vibrant music scene, supported by unique branding (designed by renowned artist Mark James). Our aim is to work with, support and champion the city’s music industry, venues and partners, promoting talent in Cardiff to global audiences, whilst also welcoming international musicians to perform in our city venues for citizens and visitors in Cardiff.

Through network development, consultation, interventions and representation, the Cardiff Music City project continues to develop the Cardiff Music Strategy, informed by the Sound Diplomacy report, to work to protect and promote music at grassroots and all levels from primary school to industry, and provide a platform for increased communication and collaboration across the sector.

Cardiff Council has established a Cardiff Music Board to support this work, to sustain and grow Cardiff’s music ecosystem and Cardiff Music City vision.