SONIC

Strengthening the innovative capacity of the European music industry

The European project SONIC (Strategic Opportunities for New Innovative Changes in Music Policies) aims to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the music industry and to tailor regional innovation policy more specifically to the needs of the sector. From 2025 to 2029, seven partner regions will work together to improve framework conditions, promote knowledge transfer and increase the innovative strength of the music industry in Europe in the long term.

The European consortium includes Hamburg Music (Germany), the Municipality of Groningen (Netherlands), the City of Tampere (Finland), the Région Centre-Val de Loire (France), the Creative Innovative Center Ložionica (Serbia), M.E.S.O. Events (Greece) and the Collectivité Territoriale de Martinique (France). The project is co-financed by the European Union's Interreg Europe program.

SONIC focuses on regional stakeholder groups in which the music industry, cultural institutions and public administration work together to analyze existing policy instruments and develop practical improvements. These local findings are brought together in a European network and supplemented by transregional workshops, partner meetings and thematic focus groups — for example, on artificial intelligence, skills and the labor market.

In the long term, SONIC aims to help make the music industry in Europe more innovative, resilient and interconnected. The systematic exchange of experiences, the improvement of regional support structures and cross-border cooperation will generate sustainable momentum for the development of creative SMEs and the future viability of the industry.

About Interreg Europe

Interreg Europe is an interregional cooperation program co-financed by the European Union. It is part of the European Territorial Cooperation objective under the Cohesion Policy, known as Interreg. The program supports local, regional and national administrations across Europe in developing and implementing better policies and regional development measures. Interreg Europe is dedicated to building capacity through the exchange of experience and best practice across all priorities of EU cohesion policy. It does this through interregional cooperation projects and through the Policy Learning Platform, which promotes knowledge, networking and learning processes between European regions.