Month: March 2021

John Spellar MP withdraws Bill after Government backs plan to protect music venues.

Earlier this year, former Government Minister and Labour MP Mr Spellar submitted proposals to Parliament – in the form of the Planning (Agent of Change) Bill – which would have required those responsible for new developments and changes of use to put measures in place to allow existing music venues to continue to operate and co-exist, such as sound-proofing – rather than placing the responsibility on the venue.

Following a determined campaign by UK Music, the Music Venue Trust, John Spellar MP and others, the Government introduced changes to planning guidance which incorporated the proposals in John Spellar’s Bill. As a result, John Spellar MP has withdrawn his Bill. Commenting, John Spellar MP said: “This is a great result for campaigners, activists, music venues and the music industry as a whole who have fought for years to make this legislation a reality and halt the decline in music venues.”

“The British music industry is one of our most unique offers as a country – and we should be doing all we can to make sure this industry thrives.”

“Having adopted the measures contained in my Bill into law, it is now vital that councils ensure these are implemented effectively – to make sure reality matches rhetoric.”

UK Music CEO Michael Dugher said: “Thanks to John Spellar’s fantastic work, music venues will now get vital protection from developers.

“I have no doubt that John’s forensic knowledge of parliamentary process and campaigning zeal played a key part in getting this crucial change, which has been welcomed by the entire music industry, onto the statute book.

“Thanks to his efforts, music fans in the Black Country and across the UK should be able to continue watching their favourite acts at their favourite venues.”

UK Music
10th September 2018

Connects Music – Covid-19 Impact Study on UK Musicians’ and Music Creators’ Livelihoods

This report reveals the impact over the last nine months of Covid-19 on UK musicians and music creators who are at the heart of the UK’s £5.8 billion music industry (UK Music defines music creators as musicians, composers, songwriters, lyricists, singers, producers and engineers).

ConnectsMusic, a well-established music networking body, reached out to its community of over 5,000 members plus its extended network in a sample survey. The survey sought data on the following aspects of musicians’/music creators’ activities:

● Earnings from live performance
● Numbers of performances
● Income from recording session work
● Royalties and composition
● Online performance work and royalties from streaming
● Education work
● Well-being
● Government support

The headline survey findings include the following:

● Since the March 2020 lockdown musicians’ earnings from live performance
have slumped by over 90%
● 92% of those surveyed have little or no live performances lined up in 2021
● 83% of the musicians and music creators surveyed reported a significant
reduction in earnings from recording.
● 84% of musicians and music creators surveyed have lost teaching work
● 40% of the musicians and music creators surveyed are considering quitting
the music industry.

Whilst the public generally think of musicians in terms of live performance, musicians also earn money from recording, broadcast and publishing royalties, composition and teaching. The ConnectsMusic survey shows that musicians and music creators have lost significant portions of income from each of these.

The closure of public entertainment facilities has meant that the public has switched to online entertainment instead. The ConnectsMusic survey shows that there has been an increase in music streaming, but there has not been a corresponding increase in royalty earnings to musicians and music creators.

The Surveys detailed findings are here: https://connectsmusic.com/covid-impact-survey-results/

All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group briefing paper for the debate on Covid-19 and the Cultural and Entertainment Sectors on Tuesday 2 March 2021.

“Everyone’s running on empty, but the will and passion to survive are still there; the means to achieve it has to be the goal. This cannot be done without a national strategy, fairly framed and guided by experienced professionals whose advice would be ignored with dire and irretrievable consequences”
Stuart Johnson, music programme assistant at Zeffirelli’s Ambleside

1 Where are we now?

Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on the cultural economy. In 2019 arts and culture contributed £10.47 billion to the UK economy of which the UK music industry contributed £5.8 billion The Night Time Industries Association estimate that the night time economy (nightclubs, pubs, bars, and live music venues) contributes £66 billion to the UK economy…………………………..

Read briefing paper here: APPJAG members briefing paper for the debate on Covid-19 and the Cultural and Entertainment Sectors on Tuesday 2 March 2021.