Mannheim
Germany
UNESCO City of Music
since 2014
Live music in Mannheim – an audience enjoys the scene…
About the Creative City:
Mannheim is renowned for its diverse cultural offerings, ranging from museums, theaters to festivals, cinemas and performing arts spaces and a vibrant independent creative scene.
Culture, creative economy and particularly music have played a pivotal role in shaping the objectives and strategies of the city for many years. Music is an important part of Mannheim’s history, which positioned the city as a cultural and creative innovator, starting with Johann Stamitz and the Mannheim School in classical music in the 18th century up to today’s influential electronic music scene as well as outstanding jazz, indie and electronic music festivals.
Music has always been an important aspect for intercultural communication and social cohesion in the multicultural city of Mannheim that is home to people from more than 170 nationalities. Mannheim has always been proud to be an open city: open for urbanity, open for others, open for creativity and innovation and open for commitment and engagement.
As a long-standing pioneer and innovator, Mannheim has established a unique support infrastructure for music, which became internationally known as the “Mannheim Model”, encompassing the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg (all genres of popular and global music as well as music business and creative industries) and the University of Music & Performing Arts (classical music, jazz and dance), Musikpark – the first and only startup hub in Germany exclusively for the music industry – as well as respective commissioners for music & pop culture, the music industry as well as creative economy providing tailored and holistic support for the entire music and creative ecosystem of the city.
Mannheim has always considered music to be a central driver for artistic, economic, educational, social and policy innovation as well as urban development and was the first city in Germany to develop an integrated urban development strategy with music at its center. Moreover, Mannheim has been one of the first cities in Germany to leverage music as a driver of innovation in other sectors and industries through numerous cross innovation projects and initiatives. In keeping with its pioneer mindset, Mannheim has been the first city in Germany to introduce a night mayor position for fostering sustainability, inclusiveness, creativity and innovation in night culture and night-time economy.
Mannheim is looking forward to sharing this expertise with all members of UCCN and to learning from other UCCN cities to further develop its music and creative ecosystem.
As a Creative City of Music, Manheim envisages:
- sharing its expertise and experiences with regard to fostering vibrant urban music ecosystems
- facilitating an expert exchange on music and urban policies, and increasing continued learning within the network
- strengthening the role of music, culture and creativity for urban development
- advocating for the pivotal role of cities towards achieving the 2030 Agenda
- providing international network and market access to Mannheim stakeholders
- further developing the intersection between music & film
- initiating cross innovation projects within UCCN
- increasing the international scope of Mannheim’s music festivals through long-term cooperation with other festivals in the network
