17.09.2024: UK Music will be urging delegates at Labour’s conference to look at ways of super-charging the UK’s music industry, chiming with the party’s mission to boost economic growth.

As part of its work to champion and campaign for the world-leading sector, UK Music has lined up a stellar panel to put music front and centre at Labour’s gathering in Liverpool which gets under way on Sunday September 22.

The event titled “How Can We Turn a Moment of Political Change Into A Moment Of Change for Our Music Industry?” will take place on Monday September 23 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm at The Hilton Hotel, Room Albert 3.

Those taking part are set to include Labour MP and All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music co-Chair Alex Sobel, Labour MP Sharon Hodgson who has campaigned against the scourge of rip-off ticketing, singer-songwriter and campaigner Rebecca Ferguson MBE, and CEO of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Michael Eakin OBE. UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl will chair the event.

The discussions will focus on how the new Government can better support the music industry to ensure that it remains the envy of the world.  The sector already contributes around £7 billion a year to the UK’s economy and supports around 210,000 jobs.

The new Labour government has already pledged to take action to combat the resale of concert and festival tickets at exorbitant prices and to tackle the problems facing musicians and crew touring the EU.

Topics that may be covered at the panel event include the need to protect fans from rip-off secondary ticketing practices, UK Music’s ask to dramatically boost the number of music teachers, the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in music, the importance of increasing the UK’s music exports market and ensuring opportunities in the music are on offer right across the UK.

The event will also offer the audience the opportunity to ask questions.

Refreshments will be provided. Conference passes will not be required to attend as the venue is outside the conference secure zone.