Imagine a space in the city that openly invites musicians to come along and practice. A facility that is simply free and easy to use. A space where you can book a room, bring your gear, use a piano, and simply rehearse. No fees, just an efficient online process of application. All musicians welcome.

Recently I met a friend at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for a rehearsal. He’s a student. I’m a graduate. 10 minutes in, we got kicked out of the practice rooms because I don’t have a student card. The conflict got me thinking.

Why is it so damn difficult to find a space to rehearse in the city?

Arts Economics. Again. It all comes back to ‘the venue’. This is something the Creative Australia National Cultural Policy is working to address. What does it take to make it easier and more viable for a business to run a sustainable live and local music business? This question is encouraging our cultural leaders to find new solutions. Solutions that might lead to this sort of open space collaboration.

In the mean time. I may have found a way to make this possible, on a smaller more local scale. Right now I’m busy scratching away some notes on the detail. Stay tuned for Musomap’s next big thing. Open Practice Rooms.