News — Advocacy

CIISA has launched ‘The CIISA Standards’ to promote safe, inclusive workplaces in the UK’s creative industries. Developed with industry professionals, they set minimum behaviour expectations, tackling bullying, harassment, and discrimination. The four standards focus on safety, inclusivity, clear reporting, and a learning culture. The PSA is a proud supporter of this initiative, reinforcing its commitment to a safer, more respectful industry.

Find out more here.

February saw the 37th edition of ILMC (International Live Music Conference) bring together more than 2,000 international delegates from more than 60 countries including agents, promoters, venues, suppliers and touring staff. PSA Treasurer, Keith Wood was one of the delegates.

The conference began with an opening speech by UK Government Culture Minister, Chris Bryant MP, who praised the number of shows coming to the UK and artists and crew who tour the globe. He promised further work to secure improved EU touring arrangements and highlighted such work as the Live Trust with the £1.00 ticket levy as a means to support smaller grassroots venues.

ILMC always covers a vast range of industry topics through presentations and discussion panels. Key topics this year included:

• Sustainability – the impact of the greener rider, reducing waste at festivals, lowering tour emissions amongst others
• Ticketing – the great ‘dynamic ticketing’ debate, ticket touts and other key issues
• Residencies – is this the new touring? Coldplay/Adele/Taylor Swift/Ed Sheeran have all embraced the concept
• The Middle East growth – new venues and pushing the boundaries
• India – the next new emerging market
• South America – new venues, better infrastructure and a surge in new and established artists touring the world

A couple of sessions were dedicated to production. The first being crew welfare. This has been a long-standing topic on the agenda and schedules don’t appear to feature adequate breaks for crew when touring. Routing is still very much governed by availability of venues, often leading to demanding and relentless schedule. It’s not just touring where individuals fail to take adequate breaks between roles. Many freelancers feel the need to fill diaries when they can to make up for the quieter times in the year. A number of years ago, former council member James Cobb shared a report that concluded that severe lack of sleep was unsafe and had the same effect as drunk driving. Not ideal for those working at height or driving overnight to the next load-in without a double driver. A questionnaire was sent out to PSA members at the time, and we are looking to do the same again, so please look out for this and take the time to give your feedback. There was also positive news from some of the major promoters as they now include extra cover for reps onsite, who no longer have to work 20-hour shifts.

The other production session was chaired by industry veteran, Mickey Curbishley from Solotech. This discussion was to address the rising costs of touring and whether ticket prices need to increase to cover the costs or whether artists need to tour more efficiently. Key discussion points included:

• More realistic scheduling to better manage the logistics and working hours
• Production design – taking into account the time available to load in and build shows rather than crews just having to make it work. Designers and production managers talking much earlier in the process to see what is realistic
• Sharing infrastructure – some of the stadiums are sharing trackway, stages, plant and caterers between incoming shows – this works for some tours but not others with bespoke shows

ILMC used to have a day dedicated to production but for a number of years now this has been reduced to a couple of sessions which is a real shame considering just how important production is to our industry. It is more important than ever to make each and every session and conversation count.

LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which represents 15 live music industry organisations, has announced six key focus areas aimed at driving economic and cultural growth across the UK. This renewed policy platform will be central to LIVE’s strategic vision for 2025, empowering the UK’s world-leading live music industry.

The six key policy focus areas for LIVE in 2025 are:

• Kickstarting Growth – Strengthening the live music sector and the wider economy.
• Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity – Addressing the damage to EU touring post-Brexit.
• Ensuring a Safer Britain – Making Martyn’s Law work for everyone.
• Making the UK a Clean Energy Superpower – Creating a sustainable live music sector.
• Delivering Robust Regulation of the Secondary Ticketing Market – Strengthening protections for fans.
• Implementing and Establishing the LIVE Trust – Supporting the future of the industry.

Find out more here.

1. UK music’s contribution to the UK economy in 2023 hit a record £7.6 billion in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) – up 13% from £6.7 billion in 2022.
2. UK music exports revenue in 2023 hit a new high of £4.6 billion – up 15% from £4 billion in 2022.

The National Arenas Association (NAA) has released a Green Guide to help the UK and Ireland's largest indoor arenas embrace sustainability. Developed in collaboration with sustainability experts A Greener Future (AGF), this guide aims to support NAA’s 23 member arenas in adopting eco-friendly practices across their operations.

The Green Guide offers practical advice on environmental sustainability, governance, social inclusion, and economic opportunities for these venues. It encourages arenas to set clear sustainability goals and work towards reducing their environmental impact, no matter their current level of progress in sustainability efforts.

 Key goals in the guide include:

• Enhancing social and environmental policies and governance
• Reducing energy use, water consumption, and transport emissions
• Making more sustainable choices for food and packaging

The guide also promotes a multi-stakeholder approach, giving recommendations not only for arena operations but also for engaging with promoters, production teams, and audiences. Additionally, venues will have access to adaptable Sustainability Guideline Templates to tailor sustainability plans to their specific needs.

Supported by industry bodies LIVE and the Concert Promoters Association, the Green Guide will be reviewed yearly to stay in step with evolving sustainability practices in the live events sector.

Claire Cosgrave, NAA Green Guide Lead, describes the guide as a “practical, action-oriented resource” aimed at helping venues of all types and sizes meet shared sustainability goals. “With input from A Greener Future,” she explains, “the guide provides detailed steps for venue operators to bring stakeholders—like promoters and audiences—on board in these efforts.”

AGF’s CEO and co-founder, Claire O’Neill, emphasises the urgency: “Venues must act now to minimise environmental impacts, provide safe, fulfilling spaces, and adapt to the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change. This guide is a big step towards creating greener, more sustainable spaces for live entertainment.”

The Green Guide and additional resources are available on A Greener Future’s website.

Last week's budget announcement brought some hard realities for grassroots music venues. Given the economic situation faced by the new Government, this was never going to be a generous budget. However, rather than offering support, it has created new challenges for venues already on the edge. While the retention of business rates relief was a positive note, the reduction of this relief from 75% to 40% is a blow. This change will increase costs for grassroots venues, many of which are already struggling to keep their doors open.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has raised concerns, pointing out that this leaves grassroots venues in a worse position than in 2019, when the previous government acknowledged their struggles and introduced a 50% business rates relief. Without a reversal of this decision or additional support, MVT estimates the potential consequences could be severe: 350 venue closures, 12,000 job losses, and the loss of live music in communities across the UK.

Commenting on the budget, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP reiterated her commitment to opportunity for all, stating, “This government recognises that for millions of people, geography has become destiny. That while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. This Budget has put the Creative Industries front and centre of how we write those people back into our national story and drive opportunity, jobs and prosperity into every community, in every region.” LIVE, the industry body for live music, plans to remind the Government of these words, advocating for meaningful support for grassroots music to ensure opportunities for communities everywhere. LIVE stresses that the retention of the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund and the theatre and orchestra tax reliefs are welcome, yet urges the Government to prioritise growth in its next budget, enabling sectors like live music to thrive and contribute fully to the UK’s economy.

Find out more at Music Venue Trust

UK Events Industry: A Vital Economic Powerhouse in 2024

The UK’s events industry, represented by UKEVENTS, is celebrating the release of its *UK Events Report 2024*. Compiled by Great Potential Consultancy, this report underscores the sector’s critical economic impact, contributing an impressive £61.653 billion annually. This figure not only highlights the industry's resilience post-COVID-19 but also its role as a pillar of economic recovery, social enrichment, and cultural vibrancy.

The report outlines how various sectors within the events industry drive substantial revenue:

- Corporate events (including conferences, trade shows, and product launches) make the largest contribution at £33.6 billion.
- Leisure and outdoor events (such as music festivals, sporting events, and cultural festivals) add £28.053 billion to the economy.

Additionally, employment trends in the industry have evolved, with more freelance roles and a stabilisation in salaries after a spike in demand for talent. As the industry looks to the future, it remains committed to fostering growth and innovation across the UK, contributing in both financial and cultural dimensions.

Find the full report here

At the first plenary session of the newly elected European Parliament after the summer break, Pearle* - Live Performance Europe presents its policy paper, "On the European Stage: Priorities for the Live Performance Sector 2024-2029." This paper outlines five key strategies to support the sustainability and vitality of the live performance sector across Europe.

The priorities focus on fostering artistic innovation, highlighting the human aspect of live performance, and promoting sustainability. It also stresses the importance of cultural exchange and adopting digital and technological advancements to address both current and future challenges.

As Members of the European Parliament begin their work, Pearle* urges them to engage with the paper's proposals, which align with the Council’s strategic agenda and the European Commission’s political goals.

Anita Debaere, Director of Pearle*, said, “As Europe faces new challenges, this policy paper calls on MEPs to adopt these strategic priorities, ensuring the cultural sector remains vital to Europe's social, economic, and artistic landscape.”

Read the 2024-2029 priorities here

We need your support to ensure the Level 3 Events Apprenticeship is ready for peer review. This is a major milestone for our industry, as it means the Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours outlined in the standards are now ready to be used in a new and improved apprenticeship.

This is your last chance to provide feedback and ensure that the apprenticeship is perfectly tailored to your specific sector. Don't miss this opportunity to shape the future of our industry!

Before the standards are submitted for review, we need to gather feedback from all relevant associations. IfATE will be conducting a public consultation later in the year, but I'd like us to share the standards with our association partners first.

We encourage you to review the standards yourself and share them with any Young Talent, People, or HR teams within your organization.

To ensure that we can meet the submission deadline, please review the standards and provide your feedback by 10 October 2024. Your input is crucial to the success of this program.

• Link to document >> Download
• You can send your feedback to laura@stressmatters.org.uk

Let's work together to create a world-class apprenticeship that benefits our industry and the next generation of event professionals.

If you have any questions, please contact Candice Kass - info@eventsapprenticeships.org

HSE is funding a new research project to collect information on work-related stress.

The findings will be used to inform policy decisions and create practical guidance for employers.

We’d like to understand how work-related stress is talked about and managed in the real world, what barriers people face and collate any best practice.

We are reaching out to employers, clinicians, occupational health/wellbeing leads, advisory agencies, support charities, professional bodies, unions, academics and invite you to share your recommended practices, guidance resources and trusted literature in the field of work-related stress.

Submissions are anonymous, and personal information is not required.

The deadline for submissions is 30 September 2024.

If you would be interested in participating, complete the call for evidence. 

You can upload documents, links and share thoughts across 3 questions.

If you would prefer to email directly, please email oscar@affinityhealthatwork.com 

The Events Industry Forum has announced that the deadline for receiving applications for Purple Guide grants this Autumn will be October 18, 2024.

To date, the Forum has awarded over £226,000 in grants for projects supporting the UK outdoor events industry.

Applications must conform to the following guidelines:

• Applications must be able to demonstrate a purpose that will benefit and support the interests of the outdoor events industry generally.
• Applications must be non-commercial in that the benefits are freely accessible to the industry and not subject to any form of commercial commitment.
• Applicants must agree to provide EIF with regular progress reports on projects being funded and a detailed final report on the project at its conclusion, as well as to these reports being published on the EIF website.
• Grant recipients must agree to issue press releases both before and after the project recognising EIF’s funding support. Press releases must be approved by EIF prior to being issued.
• Grant recipients must agree to present the results of the project to EIF members either via a Teams or face-to-face meeting.
• Any publication, report or marketing material produced referring to the project must acknowledge EIF’s funding support.

Full details of the grants and how to apply can be found at https://www.eventsindustryforum.co.uk/index.php/activities/purple-guide-grants