How do we know what we know? Mapping Iceland's Music Sector - Dialogue on Creative Industries

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📍 In person: Fenris Creations, 3rd floor, Gróska, Kristínargata 1, Reykjavík

The Creative Industries Research Centre (CIRC), Iceland Music and Reykjavík Music City, in collaboration with Fenris Creations, invite you to a discussion on research and knowledge creation and its role in shaping the future of Icelandic music. This event is part of Bransaveisla, Iceland Music and Reykjavík Music City’s series of free industry events, and will be held in English.

What research methods do we use to understand the music ecosystem in Iceland? And once we have gained new knowledge, how can it be put into practice by those who shape policy, allocate funding, and make decisions affecting the music sector?

Researchers have taken different approaches to examining the position of Icelandic music in society, on streaming platforms, and within policy and strategic planning. In this Dialogue on Creative Industries, we will hear from researchers and practitioners about how knowledge about the music sector is generated, the methods they use, and how research findings can be translated into policy and practice.

Presentations by:

Erla Rún Guðmundsdóttir, Director of the Creative Industries Research Centre (CIRC), will present recent statistical analyses of the Icelandic music sector and discuss the opportunities and limitations of statistical data.

R. Michael Hendrix has applied design thinking research methodologies to understand the current state of live music and cultural infrastructure in Reykjavík city centre. He will share about this process and recent findings.

Þorbjörg Daphne Hall has used qualitative research methods, including focus groups, to explore Iceland's music scene. She will present key findings from her research and discuss how qualitative approaches can deepen our understanding of the Icelandic musical life.

Panel participants:

Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir, Director of the Office of Creative Industries at the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education

María Rut Reynisdóttir, Managing Director of Iceland Music

Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson is the First Alternate City Councillor for Viðreisn (the Liberal Reform Party) in Reykjavík. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Culture Council. He was recently appointed Chair of the Board of the Reykjavík Capital Area Marketing Office.

The event will be held in English.

Please register for the event: www.rssg.is/samtal-skraning

Guests attending the event at Gróska are welcome to enjoy light refreshments.

Dialogue on Creative Industries is an event series organized by the Creative Industries Research Centre (CIRC) in collaboration with Fenris Creations. The series aims to provide a platform for discussion, knowledge sharing, and diverse perspectives on issues related to culture and the creative industries.

About the participants

Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir has spent her career at the intersection of music, artistic leadership, and cultural policy. Currently, Director of the Department for Culture and the Creative Sector at Iceland's Ministry of Culture, Higher Education, and Innovation, she brings to the role a blend of international experience and artistic insight. Before entering the world of government, Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir led symphony orchestras across three countries: as Executive Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Managing Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and most recently as Programme and Planning Director at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden. Her background as a flautist and arts administrator has given her both cultural sensibility and strategic vision, qualities that have made her a respected voice in cultural debates, especially around sustainability, accessibility, and public value.

Erla Rún Guðmundsdóttir is the Director of the Creative Industries Research Centre (CIRC). She holds a master’s degree in Economics and Management in Arts, Culture, Media and Entertainment and is currently a PhD student at the University of Iceland School of Business. She previously worked as a specialist in cultural statistics at Statistics Iceland. Her research focuses on the labour market, measurement and policy development in the cultural and creative industries in Iceland.

María Rut Reynisdóttir is the Director of Iceland Music, Iceland’s national music office. With over 20 years of broad experience across the cultural sector, her career spans artist management, event and festival management, music industry development and cultural policy. Among other things, she has managed internationally acclaimed artist Ásgeir, led the Icelandic Music Awards, played a key role in developing Reykjavík Music City and headed Reykjavík’s Cultural Office. María holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Iceland and has studied Enterprising Leadership and Creative Project and Process Management at the pioneering KaosPilot school in Denmark.

R. Michael Hendrix is a Reykjavík-based designer, educator, author, musician, and founder of Huldunótur, helping organizations navigate change through creativity and strategic insight. Before relocating to Iceland he served as IDEO’s Global Design Director.

Dr. Þorbjörg Daphne Hall is a Professor of Musicology at the Iceland University of the Arts. Her research has focused on exploring contemporary popular music in Iceland and the reception of jazz in Iceland. She leads Building Bridges Through Collaboration, a three-year research project funded by the Icelandic Research Fund that examines the practices and methodology of MetamorPhonics as an example of a community-based music project. Hall has published and presented conference papers internationally and is the co-editor of the book Sounds Icelandic (Equnox Press, 2017). She is the co-editor of the journal Þræðir, published by the Iceland University of the Arts. She is under contract with Bloomsbury for a book about the Icelandic music scene.

Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Acting from The Juilliard School in New York in 2011 and has pursued Executive MBA studies at the University of Oxford since 2019. He is also an alumnus of Balliol College, University of Oxford. Þorvaldur has worked across public administration, arts and culture, education, and international cooperation. He previously worked at the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in Stockholm, where he served as an adviser and later as Head of Cooperation and Communications. In this capacity, he worked on initiatives related to regional cooperation, culture, and education, and represented the Council on the Baltic Sea Cultural Heritage Committee. Þorvaldur has also worked extensively in the arts and creative industries, both in Iceland and internationally, as an actor, producer, and writer. He has published children's books, been involved in television production, and received international recognition for his work.