LIVE Trust – could you be our next trustee?
The LIVE Trust is now open for business and we are delighted to see more and more arena and stadium tours incorporating £1 per ticket in support of grassroots music. The latest to do so being Diana Ross – will that cause a chain reaction? Puns aside, it is energising to see momentum building behind the LIVE Trust and, to help guide its work, LIVE is now seeking applications from proven leaders from across the live music industry to join an expanded board of trustees. This will be an exciting role at the centre of industry efforts to address the crisis in grassroots music.
If you are interested in applying, please send a CV and cover letter to livetrust@livemusic.biz setting out how your experience and expertise can help the LIVE Trust to meet its goals and how you have the personal attributes required in a successful trustee. Applications close at midnight on Wednesday 19th February and shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview during the week commencing 24th February. For more information, head to our website: https://livemusic.biz/live-trust.
Greening the stage for Live Music: LIVE Announces Partnership with Ecotricity
LIVE is delighted to announce our new partnership with Ecotricity as part of our ongoing drive for sustainability in live music. The partnership aligns with LIVE’s mission to provide the necessary support, resources, and advice to enable the sector to take meaningful climate action. As a Friend of LIVE, we will work together to champion greener practices, share expertise, and help industry professionals take actionable steps toward sustainability.
Building up Ecotricity’s three decades at the cutting edge of the global green energy movement, this partnership will offer another source of expert input to LIVE’s specialist groups e.g. LIVE Green and LIVE Venues. It will also help shape our LIVE Talks programme with dedicated sessions on topics such as energy usage and ways for venues, festivals and events to reduce their carbon footprint.
Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE, said: “After Ecotricity sponsored the LIVE Green category at the LIVE Awards, it was clear there was more we could do together. We are proud to welcome them into the LIVE community and look forward to working together to create a more sustainable future for live music”. Chris Organ, Ecotricity’s Head of B2B Sales & Marketing added: “We’re excited to be working with LIVE to help the live music industry harness sustainable solutions. Live music has the power to inspire change and, through this partnership, we hope to showcase another way for the sector.”
ABO calls for An Orchestra in Every School
LIVE will be in action today at the ever informative annual conference of our board member, the Association of British Orchestras. Within a packed programme, LIVE will join ABO CEO, Judith Webster and the MU’s Naomi Pohl to discuss how effective partnership working is vital if we are to secure consistent support from Government (financial, regulatory and culturally). Part of securing what you want from Government is being clear as to your goals. We are therefore fully behind the ABO’s call for #AnOrchestraInEverySchool. A national push to ensure access to high-quality music education and creative subjects for all children and young people, investing in music education and skills development.
New Survey on Unfair Cancellations of Black Live Music Events
Black Lives in Music (BLiM) has launched the REMEL (Race Equality in Music Events Licensing) survey in partnership with the Musicians’ Union, UK Music, LIVE, and the Mayor of London to explore the impact of discriminatory licensing on Black and Asian-led music events. The research, conducted by the Runnymede Trust, aims to gather experiences from artists, promoters, and venue managers and others who work in London's night time economy to understand how licensing policies affect live music in London.
The findings will help inform discussions with councils, the police, and industry leaders, with the goal of improving fairness and transparency in event licensing. We can transform the industry, but we need your help. If you or your networks have experience in this area, please share your stories and share the survey: blim.org.uk/change.
LIVE is proud to support this vital work with our CEO, Jon Collins saying, ““As part of Project REMEL, LIVE held a roundtable that highlighted how Black, Asian and ethnically diverse artists, promoters, venues and events are consistently faced with bigger barriers than their white counterparts. There are clear steps that need to be taken to address this imbalance and a solid research foundation will ensure those steps are supported. This survey and the work of Project REMEL are of vital importance as we seek to address long term institutional discrimination and, as a result, facilitate a range of gigs, festivals and club nights that will bring economic, cultural and societal benefits.”
LIVE’s positive work recognised in Parliament
Culture Minister, Chris Bryant led a wide-ranging debate on the creative industries in Parliament, which focused in on many of the key concerns of LIVE and our members – from ticketing to the grassroots crisis. LIVE was pleased to see the recognition from senior parliamentarians such as Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair, CMS Committee) that the LIVE Trust is a positive step forward.
The Minister also used that debate to voice support for CIISA and the work of its CEO, Jen Smith and Jen was in Parliament herself to give evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee as they followed up on their report into ‘Misogyny in Music’. In addition to questions on CIISA’s wider work, Jen was asked about the current funding round (central to making CIISA a reality). If you would like to hear more about CIISA or help fund the organisation, you can find out more information here.
Jen was accompanied by LIVE board member, Charisse Beaumont and Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of LIVE member organisation, the Musicians’ Union. LIVE is indebted to Charisse for using some of her time in front of the committee to discuss our work to implement the recommendations from the WEC report as part of our efforts to eradicate misogyny from the live music industry. And it was energising to hear Naomi describe LIVE as a ‘pocket of change’ most notably for our work highlighting the issue of women’s menstrual health on tour.
Music Fans Invited to Share Their Thoughts on the Future of Live Music in the UK
The first-ever Music Fans’ Voice survey has launched, giving gig-goers a direct say in shaping the future of live music in the UK. Music is nothing without the fans and this survey will give audiences a chance to have their say in the future of live music. This first of its kind survey is a chance for live music lovers to be heard on a range of subjects while also offering insight on their gig going habits and choices. The survey was commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, The Mayor of London, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, West Midlands Combined Authority, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Cardiff City Council, Belfast City Council and Glasgow Music City.
The survey builds on a recommendation from last year's CMS Committee report into grassroots music and LIVE would encourage all to get involved and promote participation. You can find out more here and access the survey here: Your Voice in UK Live Music
APPG Ticket Abuse holds session on ticketing reform
LIVE was back in Parliament this week to attend a meeting of the APPG Ticket Abuse, chaired by the indomitable Labour MP, Sharon Hodgson, the group has led the charge on regulation of the secondary ticketing market to remove touts from our industry. Attendees heard an update from Adam Webb, Fanfair Alliance and were able to discuss with MPs and peers the need to ensure that the current consultation leads to robust regulation and not a lax regime ripe for exploitation.
As a reminder, the consultation proposes a new cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts to clamp down on ticket touts fleecing the public. In addition to the cap, Government is consulting on limiting the number of tickets resellers can list; increasing the accountability of ticket resale websites and apps; and strengthening consumer enforcement. You can find out more about the Government’s plans here and submissions are welcomed up to April 4th.
LIVE Touring: Cookbooks and a Carry On
This week’s meeting of our LIVE Touring group was pleased to receive an update from our colleagues at Pearle – the voice of music, performing arts and live performance organisations across Europe. In particular, it was great to hear about the latest Pearle production, their ‘cookbook’ on working across the EU for third country national artists and crew. A comprehensive guide, the cookbook offers general context on touring alongside specific support in navigating the varying employment and immigration rules for third-country national artists and cultural professionals working temporarily in the EU.
With lots of activity around touring, particularly EU touring as the Government works up plans for its forthcoming dialogue with the Commission, LIVE was delighted to join colleagues from Carry on Touring at their summit in Parliament. In addition to hearing about the current challenges, the meeting discussed the impact the current arrangements are having on EU venues and promoters and considered solutions for our artists, crew, kit, merch, trucks and buses. All in all, it was a positive opportunity to discuss how improved arrangements would contribute to the Government’s growth agenda in front of an audience of MPs and peers.