The REMEL Report (Race Equality in Music Event Licensing) - the most comprehensive investigation to date into how licensing and policing shape the fortunes of Black and South Asian artists, promoters and venues in London has been published this month.
Drawing on surveys, interviews, focus groups, industry workshops, Freedom of Information requests and analysis of licensing data, the report finds that Black events face disproportionate cancellations, restrictions or shutdowns compared with white-led events of a similar size - often with little explanation given and no clear route to appeal.
The report calls on the government to help unlock the huge potential of Black and South Asian music industry.
Black and South Asian music and entertainment scene in the UK is a powerful and transformative force, deeply embedded in the nation’s cultural life. From underground clubs that support new talent to major arenas that showcase global stars, this vibrant community has played a key role in shaping British identity, creativity, and social connection.
The two-year study was led by the REMEL steering group comprising Greater London Authority (GLA), the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), UK Music, LIVE, the Musicians' Union and a wide network of promoters, artists, venue operators and community representatives. It follows a joint letter from the Musicians' Union and BLiM to London Mayor Sadiq Khan calling for action on racial bias in event licensing.
“Licensing doesn't just affect a few artists or a handful of events. It touches every part of the music ecosystem, from the young artist trying to get their first gig, to the promoter building a platform for emerging talent, to the local venue that brings life to a community,” says Charisse
Beaumont, Chief Executive, Black Lives in Music, “Across the research, people called for a licensing system built on transparency, dialogue, cultural understanding, clear definitions of risk and a shared commitment to safety.”
“The good news is that everyone involved in this report, from music industry bodies, to the Mayor of London and Metropolitan Police have all welcomed its findings and want to help reform the system, for everyone’s benefit.
“We would like Prime Minister Andy Burnham to build on his undoubted enthusiasm for the music industry and night time economy by working with the forthcoming independent London Nightlife Taskforce to enforce the REMEL recommendations and ignite London nightlife.”
One of the first announcements of Andy Burnham’s government was a business rates cut, a lifeline for pubs, clubs and live music venues. But as REMEL shows, for many Black and South
Asian-led venues and promoters, the barrier is obtaining a licence in the first place. Events in London's most ethnically diverse boroughs are blocked or hit with police objections at far higher rates than others.
“A rates cut does nothing for the promoter who, as REMEL documents, was charged £10,000 for police attendance at a show with no history of trouble,” explains Charisse Beaumont, “or a venue like the Colour Factory, which lost £55,000 after a tragic incident occurred outside the venue after operating hours. Police suspended its licence and posted warning signs at the entrance, causing financial losses and staff redundancies for an independent venue that had done nothing wrong.”
The UK Music ‘Black Music Means Business’ Report (2026), found the estimated £24.5 billion of the UK’s £30 billion recorded music market over the past 30 years has come from Black music genres, representing over 80% of the total market, with British artists contributing approximately £11.94 billion of this figure. Alongside this, the UK’s live music sector is itself a highly lucrative space, generating £6.1 billion according to the LIVE Music Report (2024) This figure could be even higher with the right reform.
Yet the REMEL report finds that despite all this, the sector still faces deep systemic and institutional barriers that limit even more success.
Some respondents told of informal pressure from the police, with off the record briefings suggesting future licence reviews and other measures to stop Black led events from happening.
They told how certain music genres are assumed to be a risk despite evidence to the contrary, or how single or isolated incidents at one event can create long term reputational consequences for a genre.
Licensing authorities were felt to often misuse area-wide crime statistics to justify closing venues or denying licences, even when a specific venue has a clean safety record. High local crime rates across an entire neighbourhood are wrongly blamed on individual music venues.
It also shows how promoters and venue owners face unreasonable barriers for their nascent businesses, with licensing authorities insisting on more security or medical staff at their events, increasing costs to unsustainable levels, compared with events elsewhere.
