SONIC Project Launches to Support Music Policy Innovation Across Europe

Strategic Opportunities for New Innovative Changes in Music Policies

The SONIC project – Strategic Opportunities for New Innovative Changes in Music Policies – has officially kicked off, aiming to boost policy support for SMEs in the music sector and strengthen innovation capacity across Europe.

Led by Hamburg Music, with participation from MESO Events (Greece) and regional partners from France, the Netherlands, Finland, and Serbia, SONIC tackles the persistent challenges small and medium-sized music businesses face — from unclear support structures to gaps in innovation and competitiveness.

With a focus on AI, skills & labour, and regional policy upgrades, SONIC fosters knowledge exchange and practical collaboration with local stakeholders. The project also aligns with key EU and regional strategies, including the Athens Cultural Net and broader experience economy development goals.

SONIC is part of the Interreg Europe programme and marks a critical step toward strengthening the resilience, diversity, and competitiveness of the European music ecosystem.

The music industry is crucial to the EU's socio-cultural and economic framework, being the third-largest employer within cultural and creative industries (CCI) and linked to sectors like film, advertising, games, tourism, gastronomy, and technology. CCIs contribute 4.2% to the EU GDP, boosting local economies and enriching the cultural landscape. However, digital distribution and AI are transforming the industry, requiring long-term yet flexible strategies to prevent SMEs from falling behind globally, risking economic growth and cultural diversity in Europe.

Primary objective of SONIC is to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs in the music industry via improved policies. This involves creating exchange and knowledge dedicated to the pivotal themes AI and Skills & Labour. SONIC promotes knowledge transfer and co-creation with local stakeholders, ensuring practical, regionally tailored improvements. Through these efforts, the project upgrades policy instruments and fosters a more competitive, innovative, and resilient music industry across Europe.

SONIC aligns with the EU Cohesion policy by fostering collaboration among partners at various stages of the music ecosystem, promoting regional development and innovation. It bridges gaps between diverse regions and sectors, including Serbia, thus enhancing integration with EU standards.

The project responds to the City of Athens strategy’s “Athens Cultural Net” a policy innovation implemented amongst others by Technopolis City of Athens, who is one of the policy instrument authoriy. It also contributes to the objectives of the experience economy development program and the experience economy strategic business policy in promoting IP-based business.

The desired outcome of the project is an improved music industry policy instrument, which in this project is the focus document of the strategic business policy for the experience economy. Its task is to improve regional operating models, structures and instruments to promote innovations in the music industry. The project is implemented in cooperation with local small and medium-sized music industry organizations and international partner cities.

MESO Events is responsible for the implementation of the project's objectives in cooperation with other sub-implementers in accordance with the project plan. The main implementer of the project is Hamburg Music, and the other sub-implementers in addition to MESO are Val de Loire, Martinique (France), Groningen (Netherlands), Tampere (Finland) and Belgrade (Serbia).

More information here