The Future of Music Coalition recently celebrated 10 years of work preserving the rights of local musicians and music scenes—such as those found right here on the Seacoast—during a three-day event in Washington, D.C.

In an era when it’s difficult to be a musician, with bands like Arcade Fire signed to independent labels selling out venues and topping charts but not receiving airtime on commercial radio stations, the national nonprofit organization looks to educate and advocate research around public policy and technology pertaining to the music industry, focusing on independent artists and labels.

“We observe the space and try to represent actual musician voices in some of the debates. Better-funded traditional organizations have tons of lawyers and money and a strong lobby presence. We want to bring a local level to that and make investment in local music culture a national priority,” said the group’s communications director, Casey Rae-Hunter.

The Future of Music Coalition’s 10-year anniversary summit took place from Sunday to Tuesday, Oct. 3 to 5, and featured a diverse mix of guest speakers, including everyone from T. Bone Burnett to Chuck D (of Public Enemy) to Damian Kulash (of OK Go). There was also a rock concert to benefit ongoing efforts to rebuild New Orleans from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina five years ago.

A jazz guitarist from central Maine, Rae-Hunter has first-hand experience in the field. He spent about a decade playing in bands, conducting mixing and mastering services, and writing about local music scenes around New England.

“I was knee-deep in the local music culture where I was living and got the sense that all these great, creative people weren’t able get to the next level,” he said.

When he first entered the music industry, Rae-Hunter said, it was possible for bands to achieve “the old-school version of success,” to which independent radio was key. Local bands could get exposure in their communities and build their following by having their music played during prime airtime. Alternative music choices developed in people’s backyards could be accessed during prime airtime on local channels.

With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the subsequent removal of limitations on the number of stations a single broadcast company could own, however, many “mom and pop stations” went under, Rae-Hunter said, giving way to a “national jukebox” owned by a few large monopolies.

“It was like the lights went out,” he said. “The next thing you knew, stations across the country were playing the same song 100 times a day. I wasn’t finding out about new music.”

Rae-Hunter said the Future of Music Coalition aims to discover what local artists need in order to access fans and develop resilient, sustainable communities in light of this challenging turn the mainstream industry has taken, and how to effectively articulate this. True culture is organic and must be fostered, he said, which can only be achieved by giving local artists the means to reach their audiences through radio and venues receptive to local art.

“Why go to a giant corporate-owned venue outside of town when so much could be happening in downtowns?” he said.

Of particular concern, Rae-Hunter said, is ensuring that what happened to radio does not happen to the Internet. The Internet currently has the ability to serve its local communities, but online service providers want to begin charging content producers and distributors a toll for faster delivery of sites and services. Under that model, only those who can afford to pay would obtain faster access to audiences. Rae-Hunter said prioritizing content in that fashion is an infringement on free expression.

“This works for those who can pay, but what about independent creators?” he said. “A lot of music simply wouldn’t be able to reach audiences. In the old industry, big-shot radio and labels determined what audiences should, or want, to hear. The Internet was supposed to free us from that.”

Rae-Hunter said artists must have equal opportunities to reach audiences on service providers’ platforms. If access is limited, consumers wouldn’t even know what they were missing, as what they’re routed to online is all they tend to think is out there.

To solve the problem, independent players must voice exactly what they need to succeed, Rae-Hunter said. But generating those communications can be difficult. Policy makers might only hear from large corporations like Comcast. It’s vital they begin listening to what local music scenes need, too, he said.

“(The Future of Music Coalition tries) to point credibly to enough musicians,” he said. “These are folks not hatched out of an egg. They are real people doing real things, entrepreneurs building the music industry telling policy makers what we need.”

It is thus important to pay attention to what’s happening in local politics, as decisions can get funneled up, Rae-Hunter said. Though the needs of communities across the country might vary, they are often similar.

“Don’t we want to have more stuff we can feel proud about?” he said. “I like Lady Gaga as much as the next person, but it would be nice to recapture more holistic growth that you can participate in as a fan of a band or as a musician yourself.”