LIVE Talks: From Momentum to Movement - Breaking Barriers in South Asian Live Music

Date: 11th November, 2025

Time: 12pm - 1pm UK

Location: Online, Zoom

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Session Overview:

Over the past year, South Asian live music has continued to grow in visibility, with artists selling out major UK venues and curated spaces at festivals spotlighting South Asian creativity. Yet behind the highlights, many barriers remain, particularly for UK-based diaspora artists navigating an uneven playing field.

In this follow-up to 2024's "From Melas to Stadiums" session, award-winning inclusion specialist and music researcher Sania Haq returns to explore how we can move beyond celebration to sustainable change. From breaking bottlenecks in the talent pipeline to addressing affordability and audience demand, this session will unpack the practical steps needed to support South Asian live music at every level.

Sania will draw on her extensive experience across music, data, and inclusion - alongside fresh insights into listener behaviour and artist needs - to identify where the UK live music ecosystem is making progress, and where it still needs to evolve.

Whether you're an established promoter, venue manager, funder, or working within South Asian music (as an artist, manager or cultural curator), this session will provide a much-needed space to reflect, connect, and plan forward.

Sania will explore:

• What's changed (and what hasn't) over the past year

• Ongoing bottlenecks facing South Asian artists and platforms

• The need to better connect live programming with fan communities and streaming audiences

• Why understanding South Asian music listeners is essential for the long-term success of live shows

• What's needed to build a more joined-up, sustainable ecosystem - one where South Asian music is not siloed

Join us for an honest, action-focused conversation about identity, access, and opportunities in live music, with space for Q&A and idea-sharing.