Glasgow
Scotland
UNESCO City of Music
since 2008
Glasgow is a vibrant city with a legendary music scene that stretches across the whole spectrum from contemporary and classical, to Celtic and Country. Its venues are equally varied and the city hosts an average 130 music events each week, more than any other Scottish city.
Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra make their home in Glasgow alongside other national organisations including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scotland, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and the Scottish Ensemble. Glasgow has the highest density of higher education institutions offering courses in music and the largest population of music students in Scotland. Glasgow’s music businesses generate proportionately more output than anywhere else in Scotland.
In August 2008 Glasgow was named a UNESCO City of Music. One of its immediate goals was to encourage collaborations between Glasgow’s performers, music organisations, festivals, promoters, schools and colleges and their colleagues in the other UNESCO Creative Cities and this remains an ongoing objective.
As a City of Music, Glasgow aims to be:
- ICONIC: Maintain the title on behalf of Glasgow as a highly visible symbol of the excellence, excitement and pride the city takes in its music, past and present.
- KNOWLEDGABLE: Acquire detailed knowledge of Glasgow’s Music and thereby become the primary trusted source of information and advice to all interested parties.
- ACCESSIBLE: Be available to all and seize the opportunity to increase participation and access to music in Glasgow.
- SUPPORTIVE: Assist those active in Glasgow’s Music through partnership, championing, knowledge and advice.
- REPRESENTATIVE: Be deeply embedded in the community of Glasgow’s Music and, through dialogue, become ever more representative of the music community.
- PROMOTIONAL: Seize every chance to promote Glasgow Music past and present by prioritising events, actions and projects with the power to inspire and celebrate Glasgow’s Music.
- UNIQUE: Work with organisations active in Glasgow’s Music to avoid duplication of effort.
Glasgow as a city continues to blaze a trail in exploring the possibilities of music as an essential tool for urban regeneration, improving quality of life and personal development.
