22.10.2024: UK Music Chief Discusses “Perfect Storm” Facing UK Live Music Sector at Top French Music Industry Event.

The talks were part of a panel held at the MaMA Music and Convention in Paris on Friday October 18.

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl debated worrying reports of venue and festival closures over in the UK over the past 12 months alongside key industry figures Jon Collins (LIVE), Jeff Thompson (Un-convention), Lorraine Long (Ignition), chaired by Gordon Masson (IQ) to a packed room of delegates from across the French music industry.

Despite the success of big events such as Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, there are increasingly growing concerns of a number of challenges facing the live music industry. According to the Music Venue Trust, 125 venues closed in 2023. According to the Association of Independent Festivals, 50 festivals have announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024.

The panel discussed possible solutions to some of these challenges facing live music, including VAT cuts, introduction of a grassroots contribution on tickets and strengthens the agent of change principle in planning law.

In addition, other critical issues facing the sector were raised by Tom, including the increasing American dominance of music in the charts, making it difficult for UK acts to cut through, and hopes about the possibility of achieving a solution for musicians and crew who now find it harder to tour the EU following Brexit.

Tom used the opportunity of addressing a French music industry audience to highlight the crucial role they can play in convincing EU institutions to work with the new UK government to achieve a deal that promotes and improves cultural exchange between the UK and countries like France.

The new Labour government was elected on a manifesto committed to tearing down bureaucratic barriers, including those now facing UK musicians touring the EU.