Paula Simó-Tomás

Dr. Paula Simó-Tomás is a researcher and professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the Universitat de València (Spain), where she currently directs Music for Development, a research unit dedicated to the role of music in local and regional development. She also collaborates with ECONCULT, the university's research unit on cultural and tourism economics. Her research focuses on music tourism, music cities, cultural placemaking, and the broader economics of culture. 

She holds a PhD examining music tourism in the Comunitat Valenciana, and she authored the València Music City strategy (2025-2030), commissioned by the València Municipality, translating academic research on music and urban policy into a concrete municipal framework.

Beyond her work in València, Dr. Simó-Tomás co-chairs the Music Cities Network, representing the city in this international body of researchers and practitioners working on music and urban development.