Sound Diplomacy

What Sound Diplomacy does

Sound Diplomacy is a London-based, privately held global consultancy founded in 2013 by Shain Shapiro that quantifies the economic and social value of music and creative industries to inform urban policy, cultural infrastructure, and place-making strategy. It serves four primary customer verticals — city and regional governments, national cultural agencies, private developers and venue operators, and international development organizations — with bespoke consulting engagements spanning music and creative economy strategies, economic impact and social value assessments, infrastructure feasibility studies, and creative placemaking. Its core technology is a proprietary research methodology combining georeferenced asset mapping, multi-tier economic impact modeling (direct, indirect, induced), and stakeholder engagement frameworks; case data includes 2,534 creative assets mapped in Delaware, 5,111 night-time economy assets in Malta, and 1,148 in Memphis.

The company monetizes through two streams: professional consulting services delivered on a quote-based, multi-year contract model to government bodies, NGOs, development banks, and private developers; and an events and education portfolio (Music Cities Convention, Music Cities Awards, Music Cities Community digital platform, Sound Development forums, and capacity-building programmes such as the Saudi Music Cities Exchange). Its go-to-market is relationship-led and thought-leadership driven, leveraging published reports (Music Cities Manual, Night Time Economy Guide), a proprietary digital presence, and direct convening of policymakers — supported by a small, agile team of 11–50 staff with executive leadership covering strategy, economics, UK/European operations and infrastructure, and events. No external funding, acquisition, or parent company has been disclosed; the firm operates through two UK entities (Sound Diplomacy UK Limited and Sound Diplomacy Holdings Limited).

Name

Sound Diplomacy

Legal name

Sound Diplomacy UK Limited

Website

https://sounddiplomacy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sound Diplomacy is a London-based global consultancy that quantifies the economic and social value of music and creative industries. It advises city governments, national cultural agencies, private developers, and international organizations across 30+ countries through research-led strategy, impact assessment, and a flagship events portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music and Creative Economy Consulting

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications (BPAIAIAE)

Keywords

• Creative economy consulting
• Music strategy advisory
• Economic impact assessment
• Cultural infrastructure planning
• Music cities consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting engagements with city governments, international NGOs, development banks, and private developers to research, author, and implement music and creative economy strategies. Engagements include comprehensive studies, strategic plans, and impact assessments delivered over defined project timelines.
2. Events & Education: Revenue generation through event management including the Music Cities Convention, Music Cities Awards, and educational programmes. Events generate economic value for host cities while creating partnership and sponsorship opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sound Diplomacy is a global music, culture, and creative economy consultancy that uses research and data to demonstrate the economic and social value of creative industries. It delivers bespoke strategic planning, economic impact assessments, creative placemaking, and infrastructure development advisory services to city governments, national cultural agencies, international organizations, and private developers. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements and an owned events platform comprising the Music Cities Convention, Music Cities Awards, and Music Cities Community.

Product overview

Sound Diplomacy is a global music, culture and creative economy consultancy offering a portfolio of services including strategic consultancy, research reports, and events. The core offering comprises advisory services for cities and organizations (Music, Culture & Creative Economy Strategies; Economic Impact & Social Value Assessment; Infrastructure & Development; Creative Placemaking), supplemented by published reports and thought leadership (Reports & Research Publications), and events programs (Music Cities Convention, Music Cities Awards, Music Cities Events & Education, Music Cities Community). The company uses research and data to demonstrate the economic and social value of the creative industries, providing strategic planning for cities, places and communities to maximise their impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music, Culture & Creative Economy Strategies Bespoke strategic planning services for cities, places, and communities that use research and data to demonstrate the economic and social value of the creative industries. Designed for municipal governments, national cultural agencies, and international organizations seeking to develop or refresh their music, culture, and creative economy strategies.
• Economic Impact & Social Value Assessment Quantifies and demonstrates the economic and social value of creative sectors through rigorous methodology that combines historical data analysis with projections of direct, indirect, and induced effects. Used by public and private clients to justify cultural investment, support planning approvals, and benchmark against global best practices.
• Infrastructure & Development Supports master planning, business case development, design, and the securing of planning approvals for cultural venues and creative infrastructure projects. Targeted at venue operators, real estate developers, and entertainment companies undertaking feasibility and due diligence for new cultural assets.
• Creative Placemaking Identifies regeneration and economic growth opportunities through analysis of cultural dynamics and the application of global best practices in urban development. Designed for cities, developers, and place-management organizations seeking to use culture as a catalyst for inclusive local growth.
• Music Cities Convention Annual conference (with UK and North America editions) convening policymakers, industry leaders, and city builders at the intersection of music, cities, and sustainable development. Generates revenue through ticketing, sponsorships, and partnership opportunities.
• Music Cities Awards Global competition celebrating projects using music to drive economic, social, environmental, and cultural development in cities worldwide. Generates entry-fee and sponsorship revenue while reinforcing Sound Diplomacy's thought leadership position.
• Music Cities Events & Education World-leading cross-sectoral educational services for utilizing music and the creative industries for community development, tourism, and economic growth. Includes capacity-building programmes (e.g., Saudi Music Cities Exchange), content planning for education cohorts, and workshops for cultural and policy professionals.
• Music Cities Community Digital community platform connecting music advocates, city leaders, and industry professionals worldwide. Operates as a standalone online network that complements the firm's events and consulting engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• ABBA Voyage generated £2.06 billion in UK turnover with 19% retained locally since 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hull City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Hosting partner for Music Cities Convention Hull 2026 and Music Cities Awards. First time awards incorporated dedicated local category (Local Music Impact award) presented by Hull City Council.
• National Music Centre (Calgary)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Supporting partner for Music Cities Convention Alberta 2026, taking place at National Music Centre in Calgary. Convention focuses on workforce development and Indigenous music economies.
• West AnthemminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Host partner for Music Cities Convention Alberta 2026 in Calgary, Alberta.
• City of HuntsvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Engaged for a 12-week comprehensive analysis of Huntsville's music ecosystem and economic impact. Study includes database, interactive map, case studies, and updated economic impact assessment. Follow-up to 2018 audit that helped establish the Huntsville Music Office.
• Center for Music EcosystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Ongoing partnership with Center for Music Ecosystems, including co-leading the 'Arts Ecosystem Policy' module at the Global Leaders Institute MBA in Arts Innovation for the second year.
• Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Sound Diplomacy Chief Economist Eduardo Saravia serves as member of GCEC - initiative led by British Council and Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC).
• Saudi Music Commission (Ministry of Culture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Developed 8-week Saudi Music Cities Exchange (SMCE) programme to equip professionals with tools to grow Saudi cities through music. 27 participants, 12 sessions, 16 global experts.
• Delaware Arts AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Commissioned Sound Diplomacy to research and author the Creative Economy Advancement & Tourism Expansion (CREATE) Plan - the first plan in the US to study an entire state's creative economy at state, county, and municipal levels. Engaged over 600 Delawareans in the process.
• Winarch CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Engaged to demonstrate economic and social benefits of constructing three outdoor concert bandshells in Sydney, Australia. Provided social impact indicators and economic impact forecast.
• City of Memphis and Greater Memphis ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Commissioned first-ever Memphis Music Strategy and Mud Island amphitheater feasibility study. Engaged nearly 700 stakeholders through surveys, interviews, and roundtables.
• Arts Council MaltacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Engaged for two-phase Music and Nighttime Economy Strategy for Malta. Mapped 5,111 NTE assets including 582 music-related assets, conducted stakeholder roundtables and regulatory assessment.
• City of MonroecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Commissioned Sound Diplomacy to support efforts in increasing and formalizing Monroe's cultural offering through strategic alignment and recommendations to foster music industry growth.
• Focus Wales and Wrexham County Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Commissioned feasibility study for Wrexham Music Accelerator Hub - exploring potential for a permanent music creation, performance, and enterprise space anchored by FOCUS Wales festival.
• DeKalb Entertainment Commission and Decide DeKalb Development AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Commissioned Sound Diplomacy to develop a 5-year Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Strategic Plan for DeKalb County, Georgia. Engaged community through seven roundtables and stakeholder interviews.
• Oak View GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2019Commissioned comprehensive market assessment to evaluate Manchester's potential for a second arena. Research informed development of Co-op Live Arena - UK's first music-first arena.
• UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Supported by UNIDO for groundbreaking music development strategy in Cuba. Project aimed to establish music as industrial mechanism for economic growth and job creation. Funded by Korean International Agency.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Center for Music Ecosystems: Non-profit focused on music ecosystem development globally; co-leads the 'Arts Ecosystem Policy' module with Sound Diplomacy at the Global Leaders Institute MBA. Comparable in serving municipal and policy clients with research-driven music economy advisory.
• AEA Consulting: US-based arts and culture strategy consultancy serving performing arts organizations, foundations, and cultural institutions. Comparable as a strategy advisor in the cultural sector with similar boutique scale and government/foundation client mix.
• BOP Consulting: UK creative industries research and policy consultancy. Closely comparable in offering economic and cultural impact research, strategy advice, and stakeholder engagement to cultural and creative economy clients across the UK and Europe.
• Nordicity: Canadian creative and cultural industries consultancy with global reach. Comparable for providing economic impact analysis, cultural policy strategy, and creative economy planning to public-sector clients.
• WolfBrown: US-based arts and culture research consultancy. Comparable in conducting audience research, economic impact studies, and strategy work for cultural organizations and foundations, with similar boutique scale.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company: Global management consultancy with media and creative industries practices. A potential competitor for the largest cultural strategy and infrastructure engagements, with substantially deeper resources and brand reach across government and enterprise clients.
• Deloitte: Global professional services firm with media, entertainment, and cultural sector practices. Could compete for large-scale cultural economy advisory, infrastructure feasibility, and policy engagements where scale and integration with broader consulting offerings matter.

Emerging players

• The Audience Agency: UK-based audience development and cultural sector research organization serving arts organizations and local authorities. Partial overlap with Sound Diplomacy's research and stakeholder engagement work, though focused more narrowly on audience data than creative economy strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/musiccitiesevents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/music-cities-events
• Instagraminstagram.com/musiccitiesevents
• Xx.com/sounddiplomacy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sound Diplomacy