Barriers facing black and south Asian music events ‘cost London up to £141m a year’

A new investigation reveals systemic racial inequality in London’s live music scene, with Black and South Asian events facing far higher rates of cancellations, restrictions, and licensing hurdles than predominantly white events—despite no clear evidence justifying the disparity. The report, based on a two-year study, highlights how these barriers have led to significant financial losses, estimating annual costs of up to £141 million and potential long-term losses exceeding £650 million over five years. Experts warn that the findings expose deep-rooted inequities in how music events are regulated, disproportionately stifling cultural diversity in the capital. The study raises urgent questions about fairness in event licensing and the broader economic impact on marginalized communities.

Exclusive: Investigation finds racial inequality in live music industry rife and many genres labelled ‘high risk’ despite lack of evidence Black and south Asian music events in London face disproportionate cancellations, restrictions and licensing barriers compared with white events, according to a two-year investigation into racial inequality in the capital’s live music industry.The Race Equality in Music Event Licensing (REMEL) report, led by Black Lives in Music, estimates that cancellations, displacement and events prevented from taking place cost London £127m to £141m annually, with projected losses exceeding £650m over five years. Continue reading...