The Music Policy Forum is committed to ongoing cross-sector dialogue and collaboration in the quest for stronger, more equitable, and more resilient music ecosystems that address the economic fragility facing musicians and organizations that exist to connect musicians with audiences.We believe that thriving local music communities generate significant public benefits, creating incentives for policymakers and other community leaders to prioritize the strength of their local ecosystems. Strengthening this relationship between musicians, music businesses and nonprofits, governments, educational institutions, philanthropy, and other businesses is at the heart of our mission.
The Music Policy Forum was founded in 2017 based on a simple idea: music is essential to our humanity but often undervalued in our economic structures.We saw passionate champions of music siloed into separate communities, government officials unsure how to support their creative sectors, researchers eager to make an impact, venues struggling to survive, and musicians navigating a shifting digital marketplace.We also saw the potential to build relationships across these silos in pursuit of policies, initiatives, and business models that could deliver transformative benefits for musicians, audiences, and communities.Today, MPF facilitates holistic, solutions-focused collaboration and is recognized as the primary nonprofit organization connecting people and ideas across stakeholder communities. Eight years into this work, we continue to build capacity to sustain and scale our mission.
MPF’s national conference and MPF Intensive provide platforms for strategic planning, network building, public awareness, and community engagement. MPF also supports local and regional convenings through planning, branding, program design, and facilitation services available on a fee-for-service basis.
MPF is developing a publicly available library of Best Practices that document policies, collaborations, and initiatives—including oral histories that capture the voices of those who made these successes possible. MPF also offers research design and consulting expertise through its board and academic partners.
MPF board members serve as advisors and thought partners for municipalities, advocates, and organizations across the country. If MPF can support you by providing a briefing, informing policy development, organizing a leadership delegation, or anything else give us a shout.
Building partnerships across government, academia, industry, and the arts.
Addressing barriers that limit participation and ensuring representation across all music communities.
Supporting long-term systems that stabilize music workers, venues, and institutions.
Recognizing musicians as essential professionals and central stakeholders.
Prioritizing community-driven approaches that strengthen regional music ecosystems.
MPF’s strength lies in the interconnectivity of the people and talent in this diverse community. To maintain that trust, MPF will pursue grants and donations to sustain communications channels, including newsletters highlighting events and field developments.We are deeply grateful to the venue workers, planners, professors, students, artists, and policy leaders who share their experience and help shape a stronger, more equitable music ecosystem. As we move forward, your experience and voice will continue to guide our work.