Cardiff Music City Festival hits the right note as city’s music strategy boosts economy and culture
Cardiff Music City Festival hits the right note as city’s music strategy boosts economy and culture
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Cardiff’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading music hubs will be in the spotlight this month, as the Cardiff Music City Festival returns for its second year from October 3–18.
The two-week celebration will feature more than 200 performances across 20 venues, alongside talks, installations, and pop-up events that showcase the city’s thriving music and creative scene.
The festival is a centrepiece of Cardiff Council’s Music Strategy, which aims to strengthen the city’s cultural infrastructure and grow the economic impact of live music.
Following a summer that saw Oasis launch their comeback tour in the Welsh capital, Cardiff’s music sector now generates hundreds of millions of pounds annually and supports thousands of jobs.
Through targeted investment, the Council has backed both large-scale projects and grassroots development. Work is already underway on a new 16,500-capacity indoor arena, expected to generate £100 million a year for the South Wales economy, while the future of St David’s Hall, the National Concert Hall of Wales, has been secured through a deal with Academy Music Group, which will open Wales’ first Academy music venue.
At the same time, the Grassroots Music Venue Fund has supported 17 independent venues over the past year, helping creative hubs and local favourites expand and modernise.
The Council has also backed the relocation of Porter’s and the new home for Sustainable Studios/The Canopi, while initiatives such as Little Gigs Bach are providing instruments and lessons to children who might otherwise miss out on musical education.
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is also redeveloping the historic Old Library into a new centre for learning, rehearsal, and public performance, reinforcing Cardiff’s role as a hub for musical innovation.
Festival highlights include a sold-out opening show from CVC at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, a homecoming gig for Los Campesinos!, the 15th Welsh Music Prize, the Sŵn discovery festival, and Wales Millennium Centre’s Llais festival, featuring Rufus Wainwright, Cate Le Bon, and Meredith Monk.
Cllr. Jen Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, said: “Cardiff has always been a city with music in its soul. Our Music Strategy is about putting that at the centre of how we grow – investing in venues, supporting grassroots, and creating opportunities for artists at every level.
“We are now seeing the results: major global acts want to play here, grassroots venues are thriving, and the next generation of musicians is finding its voice.
“The Cardiff Music City Festival is just one way we celebrate what’s happening – but this is about more than a festival. It’s about making Cardiff a world-class music city for decades to come.”
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