[Dixielandjazz] A report that should prove useful for some Jazz Societies

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

Folks:  Here is a program started by the Mayor's Office inNew Orleans, and it 
certainly could be adopted by any Jazz Society soliciting assistance intheir 
endeavors from their cities to put on festivals and stir up the economy a bit, 
not to mention provide some live music gigs.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins


> 
> MUSIC CO-OP INCREASES MUSICIANS' EARNINGS  
> Survey Shows an Average Increase of 32% in Members' Music Related Income
> 
> (New Orleans, LA)  Mayor C. Ray Nagin today released an economic impact 
> study that shows the New Orleans Music Office Co-Op has an estimated annual 
> economic impact of $750,000 and has helped boost its members' music-related income 
> on average by 32%.
> 
> The Music Office Co-Op, located at 4040 Tulane Avenue, is a joint project 
> between the Tipitina's Foundation and the Mayor's Office of Economic 
> Development to help musicians advance their careers by providing them with all of the 
> office tools that they need to manage their business affairs professionally. 
> The Music Office Co-Op, which opened in November 2003, has 190 members who pay 
> a $10 monthly fee for access to computers, high-speed internet lines, fax 
> machines, printers and technical assistance. 
> 
> "When you get down to it, New Orleans musicians are a creative class of 
> entrepreneurs. By providing these independent business people with the tools and 
> the advice that they need, we are growing our economy while preserving our 
> musical heritage," Mayor Nagin said. "This study estimates that over six 
> months, the Co-Op has helped increase the earning of its members by nearly 
> $250,000."
> 
> The Music Co-Op recently completed an expansion to increase capacity for 
> rapid growth in membership. The Co-Op was expanded from six computer work 
> stations to 10 computer workstations. Three of the new work stations are located in 
> new office space above the original Co-Op work space, and those computer 
> stations are devoted to digital audio and video editing.
> 
> "The Music Office Co-Op is a major component of the Tipitina's Foundation's 
> music business incubator," said foundation director Roland von Kurnatowski. 
> "The Tipitina's Foundation is excited to support this deployment of indigenous 
> cultural capital, to the benefit of its creators."
> 
> The Co-Op's staff surveyed members in April 2004, and about half of the 
> members responded to the survey to collect information for the economic impact 
> study. 
> 
> Study Highlights:
> o Co-Op members who responded to the survey showed an increase of 32% in 
> music related income. If that average increase is applied to the entire group 
> for the entire year, the annual income increase is expected to be $228,745.
> 
> o On average, musicians using the Co-Op reported an average $985 increase in 
> music-related income in the first six months of the Co-Op's operation. 
> 
> o Professional musicians, those who reported earning money from making 
> music, showed an average increase of $2,456 in music related income. 
> 
> o Co-Op member businesses attracted a total of $94,000 in angel and venture 
> capital investment during the first six months of the program. 
> 
> o 33% of the musicians who responded to the survey have used the Co-Op to 
> design a Web site. More than half of those musicians report that the web site 
> has helped them draw new income.
> 
> o 72% of the musicians who responded sought advice from a Co-Op staff or 
> from the Co-Op's resource library. All those who sought advice said it was 
> beneficial to their career.
> 
> o 55% of the survey respondents said they attended a music business workshop 
> at the Co-Op. All of those who attended a workshop said it was beneficial to 
> their career. 
> 
> - End -