On February 24–25, 2026, the SONIC partnership met in Hamburg to discuss how the regional funding programme can better support innovation in the music sector and to work on administrative topics.
Learning from Hamburg’s Strong Cooperation Model
The meeting began with insights into Hamburg’s music ecosystem and governance structure. During study visits in the afternoon of Day 1, partners met representatives from the Ministry for Culture and Media Hamburg, Clubkombinat Hamburg (the representation of music clubs & venues), and RockCity Hamburg (representing artists).
Discussions showed that Hamburg benefits from long-standing cooperation between public authorities and sector organisations. The close relationship between the Ministry and local associations creates stable support structures – a model that inspired many partners from other regions.
Strengthening Innovation in the Hamburg ERDF Strategy
The core focus of the meeting was the work on the Hamburg ERDF Strategy 2021–2027, the policy instrument addressed by SONIC in Hamburg. Partners and local stakeholders discussed how innovation in the music industry could be further strengthened within this framework.
Two key areas were explored:
- Improving funding approaches and encourage experimentation and innovative business models
- Strengthening networks, exchange formats and skills development to build innovation capacity in the sector
By sharing concrete experiences from different regions, the partnership identified practical ideas that can feed into ongoing local policy discussions.
Bringing Ideas Back to the Regions
The Hamburg meeting was not only about learning from one city. Each partner now takes back new approaches, inspiration and tested practices to their own regions and cities. These insights will contribute to improving regional policy instruments across Europe.