Workshop: On Radios: Economic Independence and Cooperative Models

Concrete proposals for what funding could look like, and what is needed to make the case to policymakers and funders. Facilitated by Samantha Lippett (ICRN) & Bettina Bence (Lahmacun Radio, ICRN) Independent, non-profit radio stations sit at the heart of creative communities across Europe—incubating new music, supporting local artists, and providing a platform for voices that commercial and public broadcasters overlook. Yet their economic models remain precarious, dependent on a patchwork of short-term grants, volunteer labour, and inconsistent public funding. Drawing on research and case studies from the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) and the Reset! Network Community Radio Working Group research, this workshop examines how non-profit community radio stations across Europe are navigating the question of economic sustainability. It presents a range of real-world approaches—from membership and donor models to earned-income strategies and cross-sector partnerships—highlighting both their potential and their limits. The workshop argues that diversified income alone cannot solve the sector's structural funding gap. Community radio needs dedicated, sector-specific funding mechanisms that recognise its distinct role within the wider cultural and creative ecosystem — not as a subset of media policy alone, but as vital infrastructure for music, art, and grassroots creative communities. The session will close with concrete proposals for what such funding could look like, and what is needed to make the case to policymakers and funders.