How Adelaide Became Australia's Only UNESCO City of Music

For the city of Adelaide, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of jubilation.

2025 is the year that marks Adelaide’s tenth year of being Australia’s first, and only, UNESCO City of Music.

It is a title that might surprise some. The average Australian might associate the notion of resounding musical success with one of the continent’s bigger, more bustling cities. But it is Adelaide that holds the title, and Adelaide alone. It is Adelaide, after all, that gave us Paul Kelly and Cold Chisel, Sia and Guy Sebastian. It is called the Festival State for a reason. And despite its more minute scale, it is a city that boasts a wide range of eclectic venues and virtuosic up-and-coming bands. Music is central to the ethos of Adelaide - it is one of the things that gives the city its character.

Adelaide was officially awarded a UNESCO City of Music designation in 2015, and its music scene has continued to blossom ever since.

Crucial to the music scene here in Adelaide, Adelaide City of Music (ACOM), an independent, not-for-profit organisation that works to uphold the city’s musical values, and expand opportunities for the state’s up-and-coming talent.

Joe Hay, the General Manager of ACOM, here talks to The Music to discuss what it means to be a UNESCO City of Music, and more.

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2025 marks a decade since Adelaide became Australia's first and only UNESCO City of Music. Can you fill me in on how that came to be, and what it means to be a UNESCO City of Music?

Adelaide was designated a UNESCO City of Music in 2015 following a detailed, intensive UNESCO Creative Cities Network process facilitated by the Adelaide Festival Centre. Adelaide City of Music was founded as a standalone, not-for-profit organisation in 2021.

Adelaide’s UNESCO City of Music designation recognises the city’s musical past, present, and commitment to the future. It is an acknowledgment of the extraordinary strength and diversity of our music culture, and the commitment and network of organisations, institutions, businesses, and programs that support its development, creation, and performance. Importantly, it recognises the joy music brings, and the important role it plays in the lives of all South Australians.

THE UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK (UCCN) The UCCN represents a unique global platform to promote and build opportunities for South Australia and its music community. By promoting its artists, culture, and expertise ACOM advances Adelaide's reputation as a global leader, a progressive creative city with music and culture at its heart.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. More than 370 cities around the world currently make up the network, working together towards a common objective of placing culture and the creative industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.

By joining the Network, cities acknowledge their commitment to sharing best practices, developing partnerships that promote creativity and the cultural industries, strengthening participation in cultural life, and integrating culture in urban development plans. The Network further commits to supporting the United Nations frameworks, particularly the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As a member of this prestigious network, Adelaide has access to a wealth of knowledge and experience and a mechanism to share its culture and expertise with an engaged and appreciative world.

As the recognised focal point (agent), the not-for-profit, Adelaide City of Music Ltd represents and actively works to celebrate and connect South Australia’s dynamic and diverse music community on the global stage.

Why do you think Adelaide deserves this title? What do you think is so special about music in Adelaide?

South Australia’s vibrant cultural life can be seen in its festivals and world-class artists, organisations, and arts professionals. Adelaide’s festivals are amongst the best in the world, and our connection globally makes it the perfect place to build a career.

Although Adelaide, like cities around the world, is confronting economic downturns and shifts in consumer habits that negatively impact the arts and music sectors, it has responded with new funding, legislation, and cultural policies at both state and city levels. Recent moves and legislation to protect live music venues from development have reverberated around the world, and despite the hurdles, there has been a resurgence of new bands and live music.

Adelaide is a creative city and has proven time and time again that it can think its way out of problems; most often, culture has played a leading role in these movements.

How is the Adelaide City of Music office marking this special anniversary?

ACOM is celebrating the anniversary by partnering with artists, events, music organisations, and local and state governments to promote the designation and the value of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network throughout the year.

Responding to extensive engagement and an international mapping project, ACOM has been working to celebrate and create new opportunities for SA music and creative industries across the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and beyond.

Connecting SA with Music Technology opportunities in Sweden, First Nations across the Americas through Toronto’s International Indigenous Music Summit, Jazz in the US, opening tour support discussions with Texas, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, and supporting classical, folk, alternative, and electronic music in Europe. ACOM is also committed to supporting a new equity to access initiative with cities across the network.

Can you fill me in on some of the aims and achievements of the International Indigenous Summit?

Adelaide City of Music is committed to celebrating and creating opportunities for First Nations culture, artists, and music professionals across the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and beyond. Over the past few years, ACOM has built a good working relationship with the International Indigenous Music Summit (IIMS).

The IIMS is the largest global event dedicated to creating awareness, sharing resources, and building opportunities for Indigenous music culture. A unique space for Indigenous artists and music professionals to discuss, exchange, share, and connect in a culturally sensitive and appropriate space. IIMS builds long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between artists and industry professionals. Participants and collaborators include creators, festival and event organisers, presenters, key knowledge holders from the arts sector, and cultural connectors from around the world. An elder advisory committee has foundational input on thematic material, organisation, and execution.

In addition to traditional barriers such as geography and rebuilding post-COVID-19, Australian artists, and more so, Australian First Nations artists must confront a raft of new cultural and technical barriers. Recognising the success of the Canadian First Nations music industry, and the key role the IIMS plays in facilitating cultural, industry, touring, and market development opportunities, ACOM has been working to develop a sustainable program to connect local First Nations artists and music professionals through the IIMS to international markets, opportunities, networks, and expertise.

IIMS provides a unique platform to develop artistic and music industry professional capabilities. The inclusive nature of the Summit creates a welcoming environment to learn, connect, and share experiences. The IIMS highlights the role it has played in bringing together Canada’s First Nations Music Industry, identifying strengths and gaps, and supporting the development of industry capabilities. An outcome of the Summit has been the development of a standalone, Canadian national Indigenous Music Office with the twin roles of representation and industry development.

ACOM has drawn on its music industry connections and support from partner cities within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (Kansas City, USA, and London, Canada) to establish a strong working relationship with the IIMS. Building on its success in 2024, ACOM has again facilitated invitations for South Australian First Nations artists to perform and participate in the 2025 summit.

In 2024, ACOM successfully facilitated APY Lands artists and educators, DEM MOB’s invitation to attend and present at the IIMS. This invitation represented an important opportunity for DEM MOB and has resulted in expanded national and international exposure and networks, as well as festival and tour opportunities in both North and South America.

ACOM has successfully facilitated the invitation to the 2025 IIMS and is working with partners to secure funding to realise this opportunity now and ongoing.

SA regional venues have reportedly been experiencing mass burnout and feel disenfranchised from the music industry. Is there anything that the Adelaide City of Music office can do/is doing to counteract this?

ACOM celebrates and supports music culture across all genres and across the state. ACOM has been working to support regional festivals, touring, and efforts to develop local music infrastructure and culture.

Having grown up in the country, ACOM’s GM not only understands the difficulties faced by regional communities but also recognises the potential of regional touring and events and the need to invest and support the development of local skills and infrastructure.

ACOM is committed to supporting the efforts of local and state governments, as well as local community, tourism, and music organisations.

Does Adelaide have any special relationships with other Cities of Music?

We have been working with Kansas City, one of the birthplaces of Jazz, to explore potential exchange and collaboration. Austin about providing advice and support for artists interested in touring Texas. We are having similar conversations with northern UK cities, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Belfast. We have a good relationship with Hanover and have organised choir and classical music exchanges, and with Daegu, South Korea, about conference, festival, and classical music exchanges. We have been exploring opportunities with a Stockholm-based Music Technology conference and developing AI workshops with an NGO from Amsterdam. Extensive First Nations discussions with Toronto and London, Ontario.

ACOM’s international Mapping Project aimed to connect and build a better understanding of the state’s aspirations and current levels of international engagement. Adelaide is a globally connected city with artists and music professionals who operate internationally or are keen to do so. Adelaide is not limited by genre or profession, with artists from all genres, as well as music professionals, audio companies, instrument makers, festival and equipment companies, and technologists calling Adelaide home.

ACOM is committed to continuing to engage the state’s music community and to developing initiatives and relationships that support their international aspirations.

In summation, the main aim of our anniversary celebrations is to celebrate SA music culture and the diverse range of people who contribute to it. As outlined, we are doing that by partnering with artists, organisations, and events throughout the year, and promoting the value of the network.