Pitchfork

While Nirvana and the grunge movement lit the Seattle music scene on fire in the 90s, a group of locals thinks the city needs another spark. That spark comes in the form of Seattle City of Music, a citywide initiative created "to enhance music as an economic, educational, and recreational force in meeting the needs of the city, and to build Seattle's role in music nationally and internationally," according to a press release.

With their sights set on 2020, the minds behind Seattle City of Music have a 12-year vision that includes establishing music education programs in schools as well as after school, improving the standard of living for musicians by offering more professional opportunities and providing access to affordable health care, facilitating the proliferation and upkeep of concert venues and festivals, launching incentives for music-related businesses to flourish and create new jobs, and making efforts to strengthen the music community as a whole.

Over 20 participants spent a year planning this initiative, including representatives from labels, schools, record stores, international businesses (Microsoft, Amazon), the Seattle Symphony, recording studios, radio stations (including national fave KEXP), tech companies, venues, and festivals.

One of these participants is Sub Pop Records, which has created "an annual granting program offering young music entrepreneurs $13,000 to get their music business idea off the ground." So if you've got a great idea for a new label, studio, or radio station, head to Seattle! You might just become the next Sub Pop.

UPDATE: It turns out Sub Pop is not offering an entrepreneurial grant but "an annual, local music scholarship program worth $13,000," according to a publicist. That scholarship program? The previously reported "Loser Scholarship," which will now be an ongoing program in conjunction with the help of Seattle City of Music. Sorry for the confusion.