Sound Economies: Cultivating Boston’s Creative and Cultural Music Ecosystem

This half-day research symposium asks whether Boston is a true music city, and what potential remains untapped.
About this Event

Sound Economies: Cultivating Boston’s Creative and Cultural Music Ecosystem

Friday, November 13, 2026, from 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM in the Center for Design (Ryder Hall, Suite 180)

This half-day research symposium asks whether Boston is a true music city, and what potential remains untapped.

Panelists will discuss creativity as a driver of sustainable development, examining frameworks like the UNESCO Creative Cities Network alongside local and global DIY and underground music scenes, and highlighting music's role in advancing social justice.

The symposium will lay groundwork for a 2027 international music and development conference in Boston and seed new research collaborations focusing on music infrastructure and cultural policy.

The full agenda is below. Schedule subject to change.

This event is in-person only. Panel discussions will be recorded.

Agenda

🕑: 09:50 AM - 11:30 AM
Panel 1: Mapping the Ecosystem
Host: Frank Woodworth

Info: This session diagnoses the friction points within Boston's music ecosystem, contrasting top-down economic models with grassroots, campus, and DIY realities. Panelists will examine how traditional cultural indices fail to capture informal creative workforces and precarious labor, establishing a more accurate, inclusive framework for tracking local music scene health.

🕑: 11:45 AM - 01:25 PM
Panel 2: From Index to Action
Host: David Herlihy

Info: This panel translates the data gaps identified in the first session into concrete legislative strategies and physical solutions for Boston. Discussion will focus on leveraging data to reshape municipal policy, navigate strict zoning laws, secure private equity, protect local independent venues, and integrate modern digital platform infrastructure.