Sound diplomacy events
Spotlighting & strengthening music & cultural ecosystems globally
Ten years ago, we launched our Music Cities Events (MCE) brand alongside the first-ever Music Cities Convention (MCC), aiming to o showcase the transformative power of music for cities.
Since it’s first iteration, the Music Cities Convention has grown into a pioneering event, hosting 40+ conferences & events, and welcoming over 10,000 participants from across five continents.
Ourevents have connected artists, policymakers, and innovators, sparking international dialogue, learning and collaboration. On top of this, the brand now also includes the annual Music Cities Awards, and the digital Music Cities Community.
To complement our events, we’ve now also organised educational programmes, like the 2023 European Music Cities Exchange, a 12-month virtual programme as part of Kirklees 2023 Year of Music, and we have an upcoming programme for the Saudi Arabian Music Commission. Beyond our flagship events and educational programmes, we’ve also supported third-party events & projects such as curating high-level speakers for the Keychange U.S. Launch and producing a networking event at Smart City Barcelona for City Lab Berlin.
We now do more than just just host events; we utilise music and the creative industries to drive community development, tourism and economic growth globally.
OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
Hull Music Cities Convention
9 – 11 June 2026 | Kingston upon Hull UK
The Hull Music Cities Convention is the global stage for city leaders, decision-makers and music industry innovators shaping how music drives sustainable development, urban planning, economic growth and positive local impact.
After a decade of global editions, Music Cities Convention returns to the UK at a moment when Hull is embedding music into long-term transformation — across regeneration, tourism, wellbeing, skills and the economy.
alberta Music Cities Convention
Sep 29 - Oct 1, 2026 | Calgary, Alberta
The Music Cities Convention Alberta 2026 will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and creatives to explore the transformative power of music in driving jobs, wellbeing, sustainability, and inclusive economic growth, all set in the dynamic landscape of Alberta, Canada.
The three-day programme will cover a comprehensive range of topics, including strategies for developing the talent pipeline, integrating music into public health and social prescribing initiatives, and building destination value through music tourism and cultural infrastructure
music cities awards
The Music Cities Awards is a global competition that recognises and celebrates the best uses of music to drive economic, social, environmental, and cultural development in cities and places worldwide.
Since its launch in 2020, the Music Cities Awards has become a global showcase of leading projects that are using music to improve cities. It serves as a source of inspiration for music advocates striving to create positive change in their communities.
The 2026 Awards Ceremony will be held during the Hull Music Cities Convention, which will be taking place on the 11th June 2026.
OUR IMPACT
400+
40+
Cities represented
Countries represented
Presentations, panels & workshops
Events
6
10000+
Continents represented
Attendees
350+
85+
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR EVENTS
Our conferences generate 3 dollars of economic expenditure for every dollar invested by the host city
Social/Earned Media Impact From Recent Events
25+ million Social Media Reach
200+ million Earned Media Reach
OUR EXPERTISE
Music Cities Events
Since 2015, the Music Cities Convention has become the global space for sharing, defining and accelerating how music transforms urban life and creates better cities. Bringing together experts, policymakers and advocates, it is the premier forum to network and deliver solutions at the intersection of music and city planning, economic development, sustainability, community engagement, education, and real estate. This is the world’s most relevant event where leaders discover the power of music to improve the places we share.
Educational Programmes
Our Events & Education team provides world-leading cross-sectoral educational services for those looking to utilise music and the creative industries for community development, tourism and economic growth. Our past projects include capacity-building programmes, content planning for education cohorts and communities, and short engagements like workshops, roundtables, and presentations.
We can create tailored virtual or in-person educational programmes for any budget.
Third-Party Event or Project Support
We also offer our expertise & network in music cities, the creative industries and governments for support with content programming, growing audiences, and in global promotion.
OUR brands
Explore some of our projects
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![A panel discussion at the 'Kirklees Year of '23 Music' event with four people seated at a table on stage, two large screens behind them displaying event graphics, and an audience watching.]()
Kirklees year of music
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![CityLab Berlin Networking Event]()
CityLab Berlin networking event
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![Music Cities European Exchange]()
Music Cities European Exchange
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![A man in a black t-shirt and baseball cap giving a presentation in a conference room to a group of people sitting at round tables. A large screen displays a slide titled 'HELLO WOOD in numbers' with text and colorful images related to a project or event.]()
Huntsville Music Cities Convention
CONNECT WITH US
Are you interested in learning more about hosting one of our events and educational programmes, or the different ways in which we can support your projects?
Then write to us at pablo@sounddiplomacy.com