Black music events face higher cancellation rates, report finds
A study highlights systemic barriers and racial bias in London's event licensing system.
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The report is cited directly, and multiple bodies including the GLA and MPS are named as part of the study.
Higher is stronger
The article clearly separates the report's findings from quotes and explains the implications for the music sector.
Higher is stronger
The headline uses a comparative statement that is supported by the report's findings.
Lower is better
Music events led by black and South Asian artists face disproportionately higher rates of cancellation, restriction, or closure compared to those led by white individuals. This systemic issue within London's event licensing system is costing the music industry up to £141 million annually, according to a report by the Race Equality In Music Event Licensing (REMEL) project. Over a five-year period, these closures and restrictions have placed more than £650 million in potential revenue at risk.
Systemic Barriers Identified
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The two-year REMEL study, led by a steering group including the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), identified deep systemic and institutional barriers that hinder success in the black and South Asian music sectors. The report noted that certain music genres, such as afrobeat, dancehall, R&B, and hip-hop, were often flagged as high-risk without sufficient evidence, contrasting with genres like pop, indie, and rock which faced less scrutiny. Respondents reported informal pressure from police, with off-the-record briefings suggesting future licence reviews aimed at preventing black and South Asian-led events.
Temporary Event Notices (TENs) were found to be more likely to be refused in London’s most diverse boroughs. The report also highlighted that while many white-owned venues received support to reopen after incidents, black venues were frequently forced to close. Licensing authorities were perceived to misuse area-wide crime statistics to justify venue closures or licence refusals, even when a specific venue maintained a clean safety record. High local crime rates in a neighbourhood were sometimes wrongly attributed to individual music venues.
Recommendations for Reform
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The REMEL report puts forward several recommendations for reform. It suggests that the Home Office and the GLA should commission an independent panel of experts to review the current venue and event licensing system. This review should aim to embed equality and human rights law into licensing legislation. Furthermore, the report advises local authorities to publish annual data on their licensing decisions, with oversight from an independent panel to ensure transparency. Events and venues should be viewed as public assets that contribute social and economic value, rather than being treated as automatic risks.
When licensing decisions are shaped by racial bias and over-policing in music events, it suffocates creativity, stifles entrepreneurship and blocks economic opportunity.
Charisse Beaumont, chief executive of Black Lives in Music
Charisse Beaumont, chief executive of Black Lives in Music, stated that the report provides evidence and solutions for change in the licensing process. She emphasised the need to move from recommendations to action, with REMEL principles embedded into the licensing system to foster a thriving nightlife. Beaumont added that licensing decisions influenced by racial bias and excessive policing stifle creativity, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunities.
What Happens Next
The report recommends that the Home Office and the GLA appoint an independent panel to review the venue and event licensing system. Local authorities are also urged to publish annual data on licensing decisions, monitored for transparency. The REMEL steering group, which includes the GLA and MPS, aims for these recommendations to be implemented to create a more equitable system for music events in London.
Questions this report answers
+Are black-led music events cancelled more often than white-led events?
Yes, a report found that black and South Asian-led music events are cancelled, restricted, or shut down at higher rates than white-led events. This is identified as a systemic issue within London's event licensing system.
+How much money is at risk due to these cancellations and restrictions?
The REMEL project found that these closures and restrictions put more than £650 million at risk over a five-year period. Annually, the music scene is losing up to £141 million.
+What is being recommended to address these issues?
The report recommends that the Home Office and the GLA hire an independent panel to review the venue and event licensing system. It also suggests local authorities publish annual data on licensing decisions for transparency.
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