The Confluence Cast

How do we take a music community and turn it into a music economy?

I sat down with Walker Evans, editor and co-founder of Columbus Underground, to break down the findings of a new study commissioned by the Columbus Music Commission. We dig into the $1.3 billion valuation of our local music ecosystem, what’s working, what’s missing, and what it might mean to create a “music district” in the city. We also talk about how music fits into Columbus’s broader identity and whether a more focused approach could help the scene grow.

The Columbus Music Commission’s Big Gig - The Confluence Cast How do we take a music community and turn it into a music economy?

When you think about economic development, you might picture a groundbreaking, a ribbon-cutting, or a shiny new district. But more often, it looks like slow, steady puzzle-building.

This week, I sat down with Padmini Roy-Dixon, Economic Development Director and Regional Innovation Officer at Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), who’s been quietly assembling some of the most important pieces for Central Ohio’s future. She shared what it means to shift from transactional deals to long-term planning, why our new Economic Development District designation matters, and how MORPC is helping communities get ready before opportunity knocks.

We talked about the need for equitable access to not just resources, but decision-making power. We explored the Economic Development Academy, a new training ground for the next generation of civic leaders. And we got honest about what’s still missing: enough housing, enough coordination, and enough resources to match the scale of Central Ohio’s growth.

A Different Lens on Economic Development - The Confluence Cast When you think about economic development, you might picture a groundbreaking, a ribbon-cutting, or a shiny new district. But more often, it looks like slow, steady puzzle-building.