LIVE calls on local election candidates to support live music into 2023 and beyond

03.05.2022.

LIVE has launched a manifesto to all upcoming local election candidates asking them to pledge their support to the live music sector 

LIVE’s manifesto pledges set out a commitment to recognising the positive impact that artists, venues, festivals, and the wider supply chain have on both local economies and quality of life, along with a promise to provide support to struggling businesses as they seek to recover post pandemic.

LIVE continues to lobby on several mechanisms to achieve this, including reforming the business rates system and providing additional funds for artists and freelancers. 

We need your help to make sure as many local candidates sign up to support our sector as possible. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP 

1. Head to https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ to find your local candidates 
2. Ask them directly on social media if they will sign up to support the live music industry and share the manifesto pledges. 
3. Make sure you tag LIVE (Twitter – @LiveMusic_UK, Instagram – @livemusic_uk, Facebook – @livemusicvenuesentertainment) so we can track supporters along the way

THE MANIFESTO 

The manifesto pledges that political leaders have been asked to commit to are as follows: 

I am proud to support the UK’s live music sector and pledge if elected I will: 

1. Recognise the positive impact live music, our artists venues and festivals have on both the local economy and quality of life.
2. Commit to maintaining and strengthening local funding for live music venues and festivals in real terms.
3. Provide support to those individuals and businesses struggling as they seek to recover post pandemic: be that discretionary business rates relief, removing festivals on agricultural land from the business rates system or funds for those artists, freelancers and small businesses in the supply chain, who make our live music venues, festivals and events such a success.
4. Commit to support local music venues and festivals through local licensing and planning policies including active adoption of the Agent of Change principle.
5. Support the live music industry as it invests in creative skills and recruitment to offer high quality, stimulating and rewarding careers.
6. Create and implement a comprehensive, long-term strategy for my local area that values live music and its role as a driver of culture-led regeneration including use of Community Asset Transfer powers

To demonstrate their support candidates are being asked to sign up to these pledges publicly by sharing the manifesto on social media. Artists, venues, and supply chain businesses are also encouraged to raise this directly with their local candidates.

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