Kirsty Connell

MusicFutures Programme Director and Partnerships Manager, University of Liverpool

Kirsty has over 20 years’ experience of project management within the Cultural and Creative Sectors. She was part of Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture team where she led on SME business engagement. She subsequently worked as a freelance consultant with an emphasis on projects bringing multiple stakeholders together in support of a singular shared goal. She advised both Stoke-on-Trent and Leicester bids to be a UK City of Culture and fulfilled the same role Limerick and Ravenna on their bids to be European Capital of Culture. She was the Strategic Network Co-ordinator for Greater Manchester arts working with all ten local authorities managing £2M+ worth of funding for cultural activity. Since joining the University of Liverpool, she has focussed on supporting large value grant capture. In this role she provided input and support on all aspects of project management from project planning, task management, stakeholder communication to team coordination, and risk management. Going forward Kirsty will take up the role as Programme Manager on Creative Clusters.

Session | MusicFutures: A Programme Driving Innovation and Growth in the Liverpool City Region Music Ecosystem

MusicFutures is a £6.75 million UKRI-funded Creative Cluster, led by the University of Liverpool in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. It is a groundbreaking programme designed to futureproof Liverpool City Region’s status as a global music powerhouse by fostering innovation, research, and business development.

This panel will feature key stakeholders representing MusicFutures, a programme that brings together academia, industry, local government, and the region’s extensive network of freelancers, musicians, and artists. MusicFutures is not a single project but a programme of interconnected initiatives tackling sector-wide challenges such as technological disruption, business sustainability, and skills development. A key focus is breaking down barriers to the music industry, ensuring people from all backgrounds have access to opportunities. By uniting universities, policymakers, major music organisations, and grassroots creatives, MusicFutures is shaping the future of the music industry through collaborative R&D, driving long-term impact and economic growth for the Liverpool City Region.