06.10.2026: Music industry leaders and local government experts discussed the importance of industry and local leaders working together to bring economic growth to all parts of the country and the benefits of high-quality, accessible music education. They also considered the role of national government and institutions like the BBC in ensuring opportunities are available across the UK at a UK Music panel at the Conservative Party conference. 

Speaking at the packed UK Music fringe event in Birmingham on Monday October 5, UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl chaired the panel and welcomed delegates and opened proceedings by highlighting the £8 billion contribution British music makes to the economy, and the new opportunities posed by culture becoming a formal competency for strategic authorities in the English Devolution Act.

Birmingham-based CEO of Punch Records, and former chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, Ammo Talwar MBE opened the discussion by calling for an “injection of energy” into Key Stage 3 music education.

He gave a profile of Birmingham as a young city, with 40% of its population under 25, and the importance of making Key Stage 3 (11-14) music education relevant to young people. He also highlighted the importance of local and strategic authorities working closely with industry through cultural boards and music boards.

Picking up on the theme of industry partnerships, BPI Head of Public Affairs Beth Sidwell referenced working with local leaders to move two of their major awards ceremonies out of London, and the opportunities for regional economic growth (the BRITs moving to Manchester and the Mercury Prize to Newcastle).

Beth said: “We saw an increase in pride of place and cultural engagement, but also a very firm economic contribution, generating a £1.4 million boost in the North East as a result of the Mercury Prize moving there.”

She also highlighted the importance of music education and the role of specialist centres of excellence, such as the BRIT school in Croydon, and the recently announced BRIT North arts college in Bradford, which will attract talented students from across the North of England.

Speaking on behalf of PRS for Music, Public Affairs Manager Meg Harding explained the role of PRS for Music in ensuring that songwriters, composers and publishers get paid wherever they are in the country, and the role of royalties in supporting businesses and stable careers in music. She stressed the importance of overarching issues such as copyright and EU touring being regulated at a national level.

Conservative peer and former chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Lord Porter of Spalding made the case for local leaders being best-placed to decide cultural investment, and the benefit of being accountable for their decisions to their residents.

Lord Porter said: “Decisions on things like licensing and planning for new venues should be decided by local leaders, who can protect venues from people moving close to existing venues and complaining about noise through the Agent of Change principle.

“These venues can support a local scene, but also occasionally support big national events that bring in lots of tourism and money – for example, festivals like Glastonbury are approved locally, and bring huge income into the area.”

Tom Kiehl asked the panel about new opportunities for international trade and music exports, drawing on existing links between British and overseas towns through twinning arrangements, and other bilateral relationships.

Meg Harding referenced the Music Export Growth Scheme – run jointly with the BPI and the Department of Business Industry, Science and Trade (BIST) that supports artists in performing at international showcases, as it is not enough to rely on UK consumption of music alone.

Beth Sidwell said that, “the BBC is fundamental for the success of British music at home and abroad. It has written into its charter that it has to play a percentage of new music and British music. It’s a marketing tool and an R&D tool that allows music to be pushed to different audiences.”

She also praised the importance of BBC Introducing, which ensured new music could be discovered at a regional and national level.

Ammo Talwar talked about the importance of distinct British genres, and the opportunities for music tourism to bring international investment, which be further explored through devolution, citing the links between artists and places, for example Ozzy Osborne and Black Sabbath’s connection to Birmingham.

Tom Kiehl then invited questions from the audience, which included queries on the direction of music education, and ensuring that money was spent in the right place.

He praised the previous government’s plan for music education, which garnered widespread industry support at the time.

Lord Porter said: “A starting point money raised in an area should stay local. Let councils keep more of the business rates and property taxes to reinvest locally.”

You can view a photo gallery of the session here.