LIVE continues to push on ticketing legislation 

Representatives across the live music sector, including LIVE, will write to Ministers seeking an urgent meeting on Government’s commitment to tackle ticket touts following the inclusion of a Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill in the King’s Speech.
 
The sector is seeking clarity on the timeline of the legislation and immediate steps that can be taken to protect fans.
 
We welcome the comments from Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair Caroline Dinenage MP, who raised the issue in Parliament and warned that “the longer it takes for Government to act, the longer touts will be able to rinse fans”.

LIVE Talks - Generational Dynamics at Work: From Friction to Collaboration

It can be difficult to bridge the differences in communication styles and ways of working that often arise in the workplace, particularly when there are intergenerational dynamics involved. But, at 1pm on 23 June, Suzanne Mau-Asam and Nadine Pertsch from Doors Open - Institute for Corporate Sociology join us for a LIVE Talk on Zoom, exploring whether the generations - from Baby Boomers to Millennials, Gen X to Gen Z - really are all that different, and how we can overcome our differences in practical ways. 
 
Sign up HERE to secure your spot & attend for free.

LIVE Touring: tackling international and domestic touring challenges\

While the group will retain its core focus on improving international touring arrangements for inbound and outbound artists and crew, LIVE Touring will now take a broader scope to include exciting developments across the touring landscape. In addition to a rapid overview of Government plans in this space, last week's meeting heard from Alison Barnes who gave an overview of the Touring Handbook that is currently being developed by the MMF. This handbook aims to cement good practice and HR principles in touring, creating a safer space with guidelines for behaviour at all levels of the team. 
 
In addition, Kelly Wood gave an update on the UK Artist Touring Fund, which, thanks to support from LIVE Trust, has supported 26 artists to programme 211 shows across the country spanning multiple genres. This fund aims to ensure artists can put their best shows on tour, without having to compromise on quality, and ensuring everyone involved is paid fairly. In UKAT's Phase Two, they hope to build on this work, expanding their reach into more genres, communities, and regions across the UK. 

South Asian Soundcheck survey finds representation is still lacking

On Tuesday, LIVE Workforce met to hear from Vivek Gudi from Lila who gave an overview of their organisation, which champions South Asian music in the UK, and shared the findings from their South Asian Soundcheck survey. 
 
While 69% of participants reported seeing an increase in on-stage South Asian representation, 68% still feel poorly represented or invisible in the wider industry. The live music industry in particular shows a 62% representation deficit in decision making roles and programming committees. 

Now in the first year of their strategy, Lila is offering a range of interventions centred around high-impact mentorship programmes and building networks for South Asian artists. To find out more, contact Vivek at vivek@lilamusic.org.

MITC launch new funds for wellbeing support

LIVE Workforce also heard from Laura Newton of MITC (the Music Industry Therapist Collective), an organisation aiming to provide wellbeing support designed for the music industry. Uniquely, MITC's clinicians each have years of experience working in the music industry, allowing for culturally informed specialist care. With services including bespoke workshops, touring welfare officers, a 24/7 online mental health coaching platform and more, MITC is an invaluable resource for artists and professionals in the industry. 
 
They’ve recently launched three new funds, including their Pay It Forward Fund, which aims to provide 50 Healthy Touring packages to eligible tours upon application. 
 
To get involved with their work or to find out more, contact Laura at  laura@musicindustrytherapists.com.

LIVE Trust delivers update at Music Cities Convention in Hull

As the International Music Cities Convention returned to the UK, LIVE was delighted to head to Hull to share practical advice and guidance with others within the industry in a solutions-focused environment. A packed agenda covered economic development, sustainability, placemaking and more, with participants encouraged to focus on the things we have to celebrate by drawing on successful case studies from around the world.
 
The convention was therefore the perfect platform to discuss the work of LIVE Trust, the increasing adoption of the £1 funding mechanic, and the governance and operational structures that allow the Trust to move fast, be agile, and get money into the hands of the programmes that’ll create the greatest good for grassroots live music across the UK.
 
LIVE & LIVE Trust CEO, Jon Collins provided a whistle-stop update on LIVE’s work before joining a music city policy hackathon aimed at shaping deliverable solutions to improve the regulation and delivery of music at a city level.