Recognition of the role live music venues play in our cities has shifted significantly post-Covid. At the same time, growing pressure for residential intensification across Aotearoa has revealed a disconnect between the realities of running a venue and the regulatory environments they must navigate.

In partnership with Independent Music Venues Aotearoa (IMVA), Place Creative led a strategic research project for Auckland and Wellington City Councils to better understand the operating challenges faced by live music venues.

Through interviews, surveys, and extensive review of planning rules and licensing frameworks, both locally and internationally, we identified how current policies shape the live music landscape and where local government can act to better support the sector.

The research informed strategic planning efforts in both cities, including proposed plan changes in Wellington, and contributed to long-term Night Time Economy workstreams in Auckland. It has also provided IMVA with a useful tool for their on-going advocacy work to enable thriving live music scenes in Aotearoa

Our role included:

• Stakeholder mapping + engagement

• Research + Survey Design

• Planning and policy analysis

• Strategic research and reporting

• Development of communications tools