Administered by Sound Music Cities (SMC), a leading Austin-based provider of music ecosystem studies and music census work, the 2024 Lawrence Music Census is a community-led initiative to gain a better understanding of the current music needs of Lawrence, Kansas. Although Lawrence is known as a music destination regionally, this first-ever study provides new data from which to develop policy solutions and approaches to support and grow its music ecosystem.
The study generated 826 responses over a five-week period, representing three primary sectors: music creatives (74%), venue/presenter (11%), and industry (16%). While respondents are primarily concentrated in Lawrence, there are respondents from across the region who consider themselves part of the Lawrence ecosystem.
The Lawrence music ecosystem offers mainly positive experiences – overall, all experiences rank higher than 50% on the positive side. That said, respondents highlighted the need for enhanced audience engagement, industry support, and financial assistance. The census also revealed a significant desire for development tools, collaboration spaces, and greater awareness of available resources and funding opportunities, with the most desired tool being a government advocate for music.
This study was led by five Lead Partners: The Lawrence Music Alliance, City of Lawrence, Kansas Arts Commission, eXplore Lawrence, and The Bottleneck/The Granada, with help from a multitude of community partners.