Introducing the Local Music Action Charter

The Local Music Action Charter offers practical steps for councils and combined authorities to unlock the benefits of local music. Adopt it as a strategic tool to align music policy with your local goals. You don’t need a big budget to get started. Just choose one or more priority areas and embed music into your local plans.

You can sign up to the charter here

Build Inclusive Community Access

Ensure all residents can access and participate in music, regardless of background or income.

Strengthen Local Identity and Culture-Led Tourism

Put your area on the cultural map and celebrate local talent.

Revitalise the Local Economy

Use music to support growth, drive footfall, and attract business.

Support Skills and Inclusive Talent Pipelines

Build pathways into music careers for young people, freelancers, and underrepresented groups.

Revitalise the Town Centre and Night-Time Economy

Use music to boost high street activity and support vibrant night-time culture.

Build Inclusive Community Access

Ensure all residents can access and participate in music, regardless of background or income.

• Provide funding and in-kind support for community-based and grassroots music programmes across neighbourhoods.
• Campaign for the introduction of an Asset of Cultural Value (ACuV) designation to protect significant but commercially vulnerable music spaces.

• Allocate a portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to creative and cultural infrastructure.
• Embed diverse community partnerships into cultural planning and governance to ensure access and inclusion are central to local music policy.

Strengthen Local Identity and Culture-Led Tourism

Put your area on the cultural map and celebrate local talent.

• Appoint a local Music Champion within the council to lead and coordinate music policy.
• Launch a local “Year of Music” or adopt a Neighbourhood or County of Culture model; and consider applying for recognised schemes such as City of Culture and UNESCO music city status.

• Develop tourism strategies that include live music, festivals, and cultural experiences as key draws.
• Highlight local music success stories and cultural assets in place marketing campaigns.

Revitalise the Town Centre and Night-Time Economy

Use music to boost high street activity and support vibrant night-time culture.

• Apply and enforce the Agent of Change principle in local planning policy to protect existing venues.
• Use zoning powers to designate Late-Night Zones or Night-Time Economy corridors.

• Lobby for extensions to temporary structure allowances under Permitted Development Rights to support outdoor music events and festivals.
• Work with transport operators to align late-night public transport with event schedules and audience needs.

Support Skills and Inclusive Talent Pipelines

Build pathways into music careers for young people, freelancers, and underrepresented groups.

• Strengthen support for your local Music Hub and advocate for national funding increases.
• Include music and creative sector roles in local skills and employment strategies.

• Advocate for the continued recognition of vocational qualifications such as BTECs as essential pathways into music careers.
• Engage with Government to ensure the Growth and Skills Levy is flexible and supports small music businesses.

Revitalise the Local Economy

Use music to support growth, drive footfall, and attract business.

• Develop or update a cultural strategy with music embedded in economic and place-shaping goals.
• Support a ticket levy on large-scale events to reinvest in grassroots venues, festivals, and performers.

• Create a register of empty or underused spaces and repurpose them for music use.
• Establish Creative Enterprise Zones or Music Investment Funds.

Authorities Who Sign Up for the Local Music Action Charter Will…

• Receive UK Music policy briefings on Charter commitments and relevant issues, along with a directory of key music industry contacts from across UK Music’s membership and wider networks to help support implementation at the local level.
•  Feature in UK Music’s newsletter and social media channels.

• Book a 6 month check-in with a member of the UK Music Policy and Public Affairs team to check progress and talk through any issues.
• Have an opportunity to take part in forums convened by UK Music to share best practice with industry and other LAs.