We at the Music Cities Network are thrilled to welcome Sunderland, UK, to our growing family of music cities. Sunderland’s vibrant music scene and innovative spirit make it a city with a big ambitions. We couldn’t be more excited to collaborate and grow together. For us, it’s not about a city’s size but the passion and mindset of its people. Sunderland’s energy, insight, and enthusiasm perfectly embody what we stand for at MCN.
As Lena Ingwersen, our Managing Director, beautifully puts it:
"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 motivation is outstanding.
“We look forward to collaborating and learning from their ecosystem as we welcome Sunderland as our next city member.”
LENA INGWERSEN
Managing Director
of the Music Cities Network
Sunderland has already shown incredible potential by using music and culture as powerful tools for community engagement, economic development, and international visibility. Their dedication for local talent is something we deeply admire and are eager to support.
By joining our network, Sunderland becomes part of a global community dedicated to sharing ideas, resources, and opportunities. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together as Sunderland brings its unique perspective and experiences to our collective mission.
“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.
“That passion is what’s going to drive us as we put our strategy into action. That strategy is a living document, and over the next five years, we’ll continue to monitor its social, economic, and cultural impact, adapting and improving it wherever we need to. There are a lot of challenges and opportunities ahead of us, and we’re already looking forward to celebrating our next milestone as we work together to support the musical community in our city.
“This is just the beginning of the journey to create a lasting legacy for Sunderland.”
MICHELLE DAURAT
Chief Executive of the Sunderland MAC Trust,
Lead on Sunderland Music City
“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 DIPPER
Marketing Director at
Sunderland Music City
Inquiries:
For more information about the Music Cities Network and Brussel’s and Vilnius’ involvement, please contact:
Aneta Gaidamovic
Communication Manager,
Music Cities Network
Email: aneta@musiccitiesnetwork.com
About the Music Cities Network
The Music Cities Network is a transnational non-profit association embracing the collaboration between and within music cities around the globe. By promoting exchange, research, and advocacy, the network aims to build thriving music ecosystems that support cultural, social, and economic development worldwide.
We are a growing independent city network and are open to welcoming music cities from around the globe who want to become part of the change.
