Youth Music

YOUNG CREATIVES DEMAND SAFETY AND RIGHTS IN MUSIC

That’s why we created our latest report, Just the Way It Is?, together with The Musicians’ Union and Music Guardians.

It shares 19 young creatives’ experiences with safety and rights issues, including exploitation, abuse of power and discrimination. It’s a tough but important read.

It also includes strategies young creatives are using to avoid harm, along with recommendations for the music industries and policymakers.

Ahead of the Just the Way It Is? official launch on 25 November, we’re sharing an exclusive sneak peek of our research with you.

The Stats

32%

of women report being sexually harassed while working as a musician.

47%

of Black disabled music creators said they have been paid at a lower rate than other music makers working on the same event.

£4,000

is the disability pay gap, based on mean income for musicians earning 100% of their income from music.

94%

of Black, Black British, Caribbean, or African musicians experienced discrimination.

43%

of LGBTQ+ musicians report poor mental wellbeing (compared to 30% for all musicians).

16.4m

work days lost to stress, depression or anxiety in 2023/24.

HOW IS HARM EXPERIENCED?

If we want a safer, more inclusive music industry, we need to understand how harm is happening and what’s allowing it to continue.

The young creatives we interviewed described harm in many forms, and clear patterns began to emerge. We’ve grouped these enabling conditions into five clear themes.

Low and no pay

Unsafe work environments

Discrimination and harassment

Informal and exploitative cultures

Barriers to reporting

“It’s difficult because sometimes when you’re being discriminated against, you don’t have hard evidence that these things happened because of discrimination.”

Young Creative

Just The Way It Is? report

STRATEGIES FOR STAYING SAFE

Because harm, discrimination and exploitation have become so normalised, young creatives are having to find their own ways to stay safe in the music industry. Many rely on gut instinct and past experience, while being told to “grow a thick skin” and simply get on with it.

Graph entitled "How young people are navigating harm". It includes either circles with the following: RECOGNISING GOOD PRACTICE, DOING THINGS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, GUT INSTINCT, ALLYSHIP, BUILDING COMMUNITY, EDUCATING THEMSELVES AND BEING WELL‑INFORMED, EXTERNAL REPORTING, SUPPORT & ADVICE

COMING SOON: Full report and recommendations

If we want to change cultures, then we all need to act.

On November 25th, you’ll be able to read the full report and discover the recommendations we’re putting forward to the music industries and policymakers. Make sure you’re on our mailing list!

Coming Soon - Just The Way It Is? Report