SENATE MEMORIAL 120

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Bill B. O'Neill

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ON THE

ECONOMY OF NEW MEXICO.

 

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is known for its incredibly broad cultural resources, its supportive environment for the arts and its diverse and skilled talent base; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico music industry is a thriving enterprise in the state, made up of diverse musicians and composers and the hundreds of people who serve those artists through recording, providing performance venues, musical instrument and equipment sales and service and other music-related support; and

     WHEREAS, music is a growing industry in New Mexico, which has resident musicians who promote New Mexico and its image, sound studios, innovative performance spaces, world-class music organizations and ensembles and one of the country's premier stringed instrument sale and repair businesses, as well as noted instrument makers; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico supports an unparalleled cultural diversity of musicians and musical styles representing a broad spectrum of genres, including Hispanic music, Native American music, country and western music, jazz, blues, hip hop, rock and roll, flamenco, folk music, world music and classical music; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is host to numerous music festivals and events that bring world-class musicians for community and educational events as well as performances, including the Santa Fe chamber music festival, gathering of nations, music from Angel Fire, festival chispa, southwest roots music, thirsty ear festival, ¡globalquerque!, New Mexico chamber music festival, Silver City blues festival, mariachi spectacular conference and Taos solar music festival; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to dozens of world-class music venues, including the Santa Fe opera, sunshine theater, Lensic performing arts center, meow wolf, Popejoy hall, inn of the mountain gods resort and casino, Spencer theater for the performing arts, launchpad, Santa Ana star center, Lea county event center, Rio Grande theater and Isleta amphitheater, as well as hundreds of smaller venues that host music, including bars, clubs, art galleries and studios; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has a long history of musicians and composers earning renown for albums and songs recorded and produced in the state, including Al Hurricane, the shins, Roy Orbison, Buddy Knox, Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, Robert Mirabal, Beirut, Bill and Bonnie Hearne, Ottmar Liebert, Ruben Romero, the handsome family, red earth, the Rondelles and the fireballs; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to celebrated classical music organizations and ensembles, including the Santa Fe opera, New Mexico philharmonic, polyphony: voices of New Mexico, Las Cruces symphony and the cathedral choir and Reuter organ at the cathedral of Saint John; and

     WHEREAS, many talented New Mexico musicians and composers have had their work featured in motion pictures and broadcasts and on radio, streaming internet blogs, television shows and commercials; and

     WHEREAS, the culture and climate of New Mexico have induced numerous world-famous musicians to choose this state as a destination for holidays and residence; and

     WHEREAS, the success of the New Mexico music industry promotes the economy of New Mexico by supporting music professionals who live in and visit the state and who, in turn, support other New Mexico industries, including hospitality and tourism; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico music industry is promoted by the state's music commission, which was formed by executive order of Governor Bill Richardson in 2005 and was codified into law in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, the music commission is supported by the board of the New Mexico music commission foundation, which is the music commission's fundraising and public program financing arm, and these two entities engage in numerous projects, including the promotion of music education in New Mexico schools by bringing professional and other performing musicians to classrooms; and

     WHEREAS, the music commission and the board of the New Mexico music commission foundation have initiated the platinum music awards ceremony to celebrate the role that the music industry plays in the cultural life and economic success of New Mexico and to honor living musicians and music supporters who have demonstrated lifetime achievement in their musical idioms or have made significant or distinguished contributions to music in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's music industry has significant possibilities for promoting cultural and economic growth in the state; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has a dearth of access to working capital and financial incentives sufficient to support a creative music industry economy; and

     WHEREAS, institutional support and incentives for creative jobs and businesses in the music industry are generally lacking;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE

OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize the contribution of music, musicians and workers in the music industry to the culture, future and economy of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the music industry in New Mexico be recognized as worthy of formal economic support from state government; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the board of the New Mexico music commission foundation be requested to review existing studies by the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research on the impact of the arts on the economy of New Mexico, including building on the past, facing the future and renewing the creative economy of New Mexico and the economic importance of the arts and cultural industries in Albuquerque and in Bernalillo county; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the board of the New Mexico music commission review other relevant research, such as the economic impact study by the Seattle office of film and music and the hearing on the economic and employment impact of the arts and music industry by the committee on education and labor of the United States house of representatives, and review how these studies apply to the feasibility of encouraging the growth of the music industry through economic incentive programs, including the incentive implemented by the Film Production Tax Credit Act; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the board of the New Mexico music commission foundation be requested to present its findings and recommendations to the legislative finance committee, the cultural affairs department, the economic development department and the appropriate interim legislative committee no later than October 31, 2018; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of cultural affairs, the secretary of economic development, the chair of the music commission and the chair of the legislative finance committee.

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