Music ecosystems are vital to a healthy arts and culture sector. They transcend political boundaries and create cultural regions, where exchange and interaction are common. Music has always responded to external forces such as global economic disturbances, pandemics, cultural shifts and social inequality, and contemporary musicians are finding new, creative and impactful ways to make a difference with their craft.
The music ecosystem effort pursued by the Kansas Arts Commission began with a statewide gathering in Lawrence, KS in July 2021. The discussion at that meeting is detailed in an initial report below. The report includes recommendations for future efforts, including a variety of regional and national resources to pursue for next steps.
Since then, KAC has continued to research music ecosystems, lead convenings, and develop discussions with stakeholders in the music industry, the non-profit arts & culture community, and with public entities at the city and regional levels. This work has included large public gatherings, sector-specific conversations and discussions, attendance at national and international conferences in this field, and many connections with artists and key individuals in the Kansas music ecosystem. KAC continues to direct resources to the effort, with some programs and initiatives seeing early success, while others seek to lay foundations that will have long-lasting effects on the music ecosystem, the economy, and communities that participate in it.
For more information, resources, or to contribute input, contact Nick Carswell: [email protected].
Nick Carswell is originally from Limerick, Ireland. He has studied music, maths and philosophy at University College Dublin, sound engineering in Temple Bar’s Sound Training Centre and an M.Phil in Music and Media Technologies in Trinity College Dublin.
Nick works in various media and artforms. He has directed several short films, worked as a radio presenter and producer, curated music programming for theatres and music venues, and even driven the odd tour bus across the country. Nick also runs an indie record label Silly Goose Records, performs regularly as a musician, and is frequently distracted with things like developing websites and designing graphics (like this one).
Nick’s original works vary to include the electro-ambient album State of Play and the acoustic-folk-rock band The Elective Orchestra, as well as many varied original compositions, scores and soundtracks. For his M.Phil thesis project, he also produced a feature-length audio-drama, The Line, Broken. He is formerly a member of The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and frequently performs with numerous other musical groups throughout the country (and around the world).
Nick is currently based in Lawrence, Kansas, where he is Program Manager at Audio-Reader Network, and contributor to Kansas Public Radio. Nick is also a commissioned East Ninth artist as part of the ArtPlace America-funded East Ninth Project. Current musical projects include the indie-rock bands Carswell & Hope and Pink Royal, and the remodeled music collective Silly Goose Records.
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