A survey has been launched to scrutinise the role of racial intolerance in the process of licensing music events in London. Arts charity Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is requesting members of the music industry, including artists, venue managers and promoters, from minority ethnic, Asian and Black backgrounds to share accounts of discriminatory licensing practices and interactions with police and local authorities. The BLiM has found examples of racial bias, such as promoters having to change their names to ‘white pseudonyms’ to secure a licence.
In another instance, BLiM revealed a venue, which primarily played music by Black or Brown musicians, was unable to attain the required trading hours to sustain operation despite the absence of any detrimental effects. On the contrary, nearby pubs were allowed to function and reportedly played similar music. The Runnymede Trust, a UK-based think tank that promotes racial equality, is conducting the survey launched in association with LIVE, UK Music, Musicians’ Union and the London Assembly.
A risk evaluation form called Form 696 was employed by Metropolitan (Met) police during venue licensing between 2008 and 2017. The form’s database included details of audience ethnicity and music genre. Following a review, the form was discarded in 2017. However, BLiM stated that its legacy could still affect “formal and informal licensing decisions and interactions”.
Chief Executive of UK Music, Tom Kiehl, stated that the primary objective is to “transform the live music industry into a sector of equal opportunities. Apparently, the Form 696 created unacceptable bias in the live music industry against music from diverse groups across London”.
CEO of Black Lives in Music, Charisse Beaumont, remarked on the nature of the licensing process in comments conveying the charity’s dissatisfaction with the current process. “Last minute event cancellations by the police, licence extensions denied, covert phone calls pressuring venue owners to cancel events and outright refusals to grant licences based on music genres including Jazz, Bhangra and Gospel are just some of the obstacles. It’s not just Drill music.”
The survey wants to invite individuals from the music industry to share their experiences so that “venues, artists, promoters and decision-makers” can form a more inclusive industry, Beaumont said. Those interested can fill out the survey on the BLiM’s website.
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