Blue Raincoat Music, which is part of the Reservoir group of companies, has announced a wide-ranging charity partnership with Attitude Is Everything, the disability rights organisation working to improve disability access in the music and live event industries.
As part of this new partnership, Blue Raincoat Music will be providing the Attitude Is Everything team with access to training, networking and mentoring alongside an A&R feedback programme and a commitment to initiate and participate in fundraising activities.
Attitude Is Everything has enabled over 200,000 disabled people nationwide to access culture in the UK via accredited and accessible venues and events. Over 1000 disabled people have volunteered to work with the charity and it continues to help disabled artists, alongside initiatives supporting music professionals within the disabled community such as the Next Stage and Beyond The Music.
Launched originally as an artist management company in 2014, Blue Raincoat Music diversified into music publishing in 2016. Later that year, it acquired independent record label Chrysalis Records, which added recorded music operations to its portfolio. Since then, Blue Raincoat Music’s management, publishing and recorded music divisions have operated as Blue Raincoat Artists, Blue Raincoat Music Publishing and Chrysalis Records, and work with a roster of artists including Laura Marling, Ben Harper and Emeli Sandé, in addition to signing publishing deals for the catalogues of Nick Drake, Mike Chapman, and more.
“Robin Millar, the co-founder of Blue Raincoat Music, has dealt with disability through most of his working life, so we think it is particularly apt that we are able to lend our support to Attitude Is Everything,” said Jeremy Lascelles, co-founder and CEO of Blue Raincoat Music. “Robin’s own experience of attending gigs has been transformed by this charity’s work, from a miserable one to where he can now enjoy the performance to the full. We are very thankful they do such important work in improving access for disabled people in every area of the industry. We will be providing Attitude Is Everything with access to training, networking and mentoring, an A&R feedback programme alongside a fundraising commitment.”
Sir Robin Millar, creative consultant to BRM, added: “Having seen AIE’s transformative impact from my own experiences at concerts, I’m very excited Blue Raincoat is now partnering with them as they evolve their reach to improve access to employment and musical careers.”
Suzanne Bull MBE, founder of Attitude Is Everything said: “The Attitude Is Everything board and staff team are grateful to Blue Raincoat Music for choosing us as their charity partner. We’re honoured that Blue Raincoat are fully behind our vision, and that they want to dedicate themselves to making sure that access to music and live events improve for disabled people. We’re looking forward to supporting their fundraising activities throughout the year, and we’re excited for what’s to come!”
PHOTO: Paul Harries
