Denver Office of Cultural Affairs

A study of Denver's contemporary music community provides quantitative and qualitative data that confirm Denver has a vibrant and growing music community that is an economic asset to the city. Denver’s music scene measured more than twice the national average using the Music Creative Vitality Index study (CVI), commissioned by the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs (DOCA).  According to Western States Arts Federation, that conducted the study, Denver's Music CVI measures 2.33.  Denver’s overall CVI for 2009 is 2.5; the national average for both indices is 1.0. 

“The data from this report confirms what we already know: that Denver’s music scene is hot.  With local bands like the Flobots, The Fray and OneRepublic gaining national attention, unique music festivals like The Underground Music Showcase, and venues like the Bluebird Theater and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver is a great place for performers and music-lovers alike,” said Mayor John Hickenlooper.  “The recommendations in this report provide us with the building blocks to help foster this emerging scene.”

The principal findings of the study indicate that Denver's Music CVI values compare favorably with other cities and indicate a robust sector:

Music-related occupations in Denver accounted for more than 2,300 jobs, compared with 6,093 in Seattle, 3,281 in Austin, 3,443 in Portland and 1,195 in New Orleans (Orleans Parish).  While the area has lower total music employment, Denver has a higher concentration of music-related occupations than any of these cities on a per capita basis. All told, Denver has 44 music venues and at least 60 additional mixed-used establishments that offer live music every night of the week. In 2008, total gross sales for all venues averaged a minimum of $2,328,942 per night.

Other principal findings show that:

·         Denver has a broad-based supportive infrastructure for music.  The numerous available venues, the large number of music consumers, the high quality of bands/musicians and the meaningful media coverage of music are all critical to the health of the scene.

·         The limited cooperation between music and other arts endeavors in Denver is viewed by leaders in the music community as a drag on future growth of Denver’s music sector.

·         Denver bands have had success touring nationally, but Denver’s geographic isolation remains a challenge to sustained touring activity, which is considered vital to success.

The study findings are intended to inform policy makers and industry leaders how they might sustain and nurture the music community and benefit from the financial rewards associated with it. 

A brochure of Denver’s Music CVI and full technical report can be downloaded here.