Music industry leaders have joined forces with a host of organisations to boost the sector’s work on equality, diversity and inclusion.
UK Music and its members are spearheading the move following the call from the UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce. The initiative is a key piece of the Ten-Point Plan published last October.
Every member body has now identified organisations working on gender and race with which it plans to work closely as part of their commitment to meeting the targets set out in the Ten-Point Plan. Organisations include Black Lives in Music, The BRITS School, The Cats Mother, East London Arts and Music (ELAM), Girls I Rate, The Midi Music Company, My Runway Group, PRS Foundation, Small Green Shoots, She Said So, Women in CTRL and Zoo XYZ.
UK Music is partnering with Parents and Carers in Performing Arts (PiPA), an organisation that aims to promote best practice employment and support for parents and carers in the performing arts sector.
The Ten-Point Plan was developed by the UK Music's Diversity Taskforce and has the full support of UK Music’s 10 board member bodies: AIM, BPI, FAC, The Ivors Academy, MMF, MPA, MPG, MU, PPL and PRS for Music.
UK Music chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: “There is a real determination and commitment across the music industry to quicken the pace of change when it comes to diversity and inclusion.
“UK Music are working with PiPA - a fantastic organisation, which does such brilliant work for parents and carers in performing arts. All our members are now working closely with an array of impressive organisations and I am confident these partnerships will flourish and do great work in the months and years ahead.”
Cassie Raine, co-founder and joint CEO of Parents and Carers in Performing Arts, said:“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but by identifying a range of sustainable, research-led strategies and tools for employers to enable people to continue working at every stage of their lives, we can begin to take practical steps towards a more inclusive and diverse music industry.”
UK Music Diversity Taskforce chair Ammo Talwar said: “The Ten-Point Plan is already leading the way and showing what can be done when it comes to tackling racism and ensuring the music industry is more diverse and inclusive.
“Ensuring UK Music members partnered with organisations to drive forward change was an important part of the Plan and it’s great that this work is already under way. However, there is still much more work to be done and we will continue to work with the music industry to ensure it is at the vanguard of the positive changes we all want to see.”
In a separate announcement, the Music Publishers Association (MPA) has confirmed the formation of a new council to help to engage, influence and drive forwards a core strategy of improving diversity and inclusivity in the music publishing sector.
The MPA is seeking highly experienced policy strategists and public influencers to form the council. It will meet quarterly to publicly represent the MPA’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy, and to inform the MPA management and board of developments in achieving their progressive programme.
Roberto Neri, MPA chair, said: “One of our strategic priorities over the past year has been a review of the music publishing sector to work out why we do not have executive talent that is reflective of society nor of the creators that we all cherish and listen to on a daily basis. After so many words and deep discussions, I am extremely thankful for the commitment of the Board and the MPA membership, to allow us to create this Council and to find appropriate members that will provide full focus on addressing this issue head on.”
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