Community groups launch Anchorage-area music census

Multiple community groups have come together to launch the Greater Anchorage Music Census, an attempt to gather data to develop “community-driven approaches to grow and harness” the local music ecosystem.

The lead organizations on the effort are Alaska Creative Economies, the Anchorage Economic Development Corp., the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and the UAA Center for Economic Development.

The census opened Wednesday and is available until May 22. It is available at anchoragemusiccensus.org.

The census will try to draw information from all corners of the Anchorage-area music community, including Mat-Su. It’s open to anyone 18 or older who is working, or who is a student, in the music industry in any capacity in those regions. The group said the census isn’t just for musicians, it’s also for people doing “any type of music-related work, with or without compensation, and you believe your skills and commitment are worthy of acknowledgement and support.”

That includes venue owners, workers, bartenders, photographers, videographers and publicists or anyone “participating in any music related product, service, or venue in the greater Anchorage area,” according to a statement from the group launching the census.

“Anchorage has an opportunity to support and develop our local musicians, boosting downstream economic impacts for venues, promoters, hospitality, transportation, tourism, and more,” Anchorage Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kathleen McArdle said in a prepared statement. “The Greater Anchorage Music Census will provide us with valuable data to inform our path forward.”

Organizers say the census is anonymous and will not collect any personal identifiers or IP addresses. The group expects the results to be released later this year.

Nolan Klouda, executive director of the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development, said the health of the Anchorage-area music community is vital for growth and well-being in the city, both economically and culturally.

“A healthy economy rests on a foundation that includes quality of life,” he said. “If you want a stable workforce, you need a population that’s happy to live here. That includes music and other forms of entertainment and artistic expression that enrich our lives and help form the bonds that make up a community.”