Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives In Music, has given evidence to the London Assembly’s Economy, Culture and Skills Committee.
The committee is investigating the strengths and weaknesses of London’s night-time leisure sector, its recovery from the pandemic and how it has been affected by rising inflation.
Black Lives In Music (BLiM) and the Musicians’ Union wrote to the Mayor last year to raise their concerns about barriers in the industry. In response, the Mayor, Night Czar, Black Lives In Music, the Musicians’ Union and LIVE established The Race Equality in Music Event Licensing (REMEL) project to take action.
BLiM has been commissioned by the Greater London Authority (GLA), Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Musicians’ Union to research the impact of policies and interactions with the police, councils, venues and promoters on Black, Asian and ethnically diverse music events.
Form 696 was previously used by the Metropolitan Police Service to inform licensing decisions about live music events, asking for details of the ethnicity of the audience and the music genre. The form was banned by the Mayor of London in November 2017 for discriminating against Black and ethnically diverse performers and events.
BLiM have been gathering data and stories about the current challenges. They found a cultural venue with mostly ‘Black/Brown’ music programming that has been unable to secure longer hours necessary to make the venue economically viable.
“In one case a large venue called an artist on the day of the event to say they had researched them on the internet and they play hip-hop,” said Charisse Beaumont. “They feared they would lose their licence, so cancelled the performance.
“There are other stories of large venues receiving calls from the police advising them to stop a performance. Imagine a small venue or promoter receiving that call, who doesn't have the contacts with police and councillors to object. This is what Black and Brown entrepreneurs, promoters and artists face every single day.”
“There are serious barriers to being an entrepreneur for certain communities,” added Beaumont. “There was a Bollywood event that was closed down by a licensing officer, just because they could. The organisers lost months of revenue and it destroyed their lives.
“Black and Brown people have a right to work - how much are these cancellations costing the night-time economy?”
BLiM have found that:
– There are inconsistencies in licensing decisions across different boroughs, with some demonstrating a risk-averse approach towards BAME applicants and events.
– The night-time economy in London is not welcoming to individuals from BAME backgrounds.
– A lack of transparency in the authorities' reasons for event cancellations leads to a loss for the night-time economy.
– The legacy of Form 696 continues to impact the industry - events are cancelled or subjected to onerous conditions due to racial bias.
– There is a need for a fair and transparent communication between the police and licensees to ensure accountability and prevent unnecessary event cancellations.
REMEL is chaired by London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé in partnership with Black Lives In Music, The Musicians’ Union, LIVE, UK Music, the GLA, London Licensing Managers Forum, the Metropolitan Police, MOPAC, plus artists, promoters and a representative of the security industry.
The research will be used by REMEL to develop recommendations and work with all partners including the Metropolitan Police as part of their London Race Action Plan, councils, and the music industry to identify best practice, share learning and take action.
