We Are Behind Every Musician

We are a community of over 35,000 musicians working to protect our members' rights and campaign for a fairer music industry.

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Campaigns

#FixStreaming

In January, the MU's General Secretary met with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss a range of topics including our fix streaming campaign.

Get involved

MU Continues to Lobby Government Ahead of New AI Copyright Proposals

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Advice

This LGBT+ History Month, familiarise yourself with our advice on how to be a good ally to trans and non-binary colleagues

Three vocalists in a recording studio singing into a microphone.

Music Streaming: What Does a Fair Deal for Musicians Look Like?

How are musicians paid for music streaming and what could a fair deal look like? MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl explains...

Published: 11 February 2025

Young woman playing Mandolin at home while writing music.

Funding Applications Open for Young Folk and Traditional Music Performers

The Alan Surtees Trust has opened its 2025 round of funding for folk and traditional music performers aged 16 to 30. The Trust will make four awards of up to £2,000 per person and applications close 30 April.

Published: 10 February 2025

Musician Kat Browning holding a clarinet and smiling.

Katmuss for LGBT+ History Month: “The Community I Didn’t Know I Craved”

Katmuss, the resident bass clarinettist for Folk Clarinet Quartet, The Tradinettes, shares their experience of dealing with mental health issues and rediscovering a sense of community through the MU and its LGBT+ network.

Published: 10 February 2025

MU Head of Education and Wellbeing, Chris Walters, passing a microphone to a young member to speak about their motion at the last Delegate Conference in 2023.

Represent the Views of Musicians in Your Region: Apply to Attend MU Delegate Conference 2025

MU Delegate Conference 2025 will take place in Liverpool, on Tuesday 22 July and Wednesday 23 July 2025. Applications to attend as a delegate are now open, and members have until Sunday 27 April to apply.

Published: 07 February 2025

New Survey Launched to Investigate Discriminatory Licensing Practices in London

A survey by Black Lives In Music, the Musicians’ Union, UK Music, LIVE, and the Mayor of London, has been launched to investigate reported race inequality, bias and over-policing of music events in London. 

Published: 07 February 2025

Support the Safe Sick Pay Campaign

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling on union members to take part in a day of action on Friday 7 February to campaign for an increase in statutory sick pay.

Published: 06 February 2025

Labour Unions Meet Prime Minister at Number 10

This week Labour-affiliated unions, including the Musicians’ Union, met Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss workers’ rights.

Published: 06 February 2025

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Upcoming events

Last chance to book

31 Jan 2025

Feldenkrais: Move Better, Feel Better, Perform Better

Free up your playing and singing using the Feldenkrais method, a sensory-motor learning system which looks at our mind and body holistically.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

A tiny guitar amp sits on sand with the sun setting behind it.

13 Feb 2025

Free Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), Glasgow

This is an opportunity to ensure that your equipment is safe and you are able to provide assurances for your insurance, venues and bookers. Available for all MU members based in Scotland.

Glasgow

Last chance to book

14 Feb 2025

Feldenkrais: Move Better, Feel Better, Perform Better

Free up your playing and singing using the Feldenkrais method, a sensory-motor learning system which looks at our mind and body holistically.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

Stacked rocks on the shore against a clear blue sky.

17 Feb 2025

Guided Meditation

An extremely efficient and powerful meditation practice, based on Ascension meditation techniques that are tailored to help musicians both in their professional and personal lives.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

19 Feb 2025

Legal Webinar: Living it Live

In this one-hour webinar for MU members in Scotland, leading Scottish Law Firm Harper Macleod will discuss the key legal considerations for putting on live music.

Online, Zoom

Upcoming

20 Feb 2025

Creative Resilience

This online, two-hour session is for anyone in the creative industries who is interested in developing their understanding of psychological and physical resilience and applying this to their day-to-day life.

Online

Upcoming

21 Feb 2025

R&B Surgery: One-to-One Recording & Broadcasting Advice Sessions

Online, monthly one-to-one advice sessions on working as a recording musician.

Online (Zoom) Member only

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Be better represented

Join an MU Member Network

Your opinions on equality and diversity issues are vital to the way the MU shapes its services, policies and campaigns. Sign up to our Member Networks to be better represented as a musician.

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#WorkNotPlayMU

This is not a hobby - it's our profession

No-one should feel guilty about turning down unpaid “opportunities". Have you been asked to work for no fee?

Tell us about it See all Campaigns

This is not a hobby - it's our profession

We Are Behind Every Musician

#FixStreaming

MU Continues to Lobby Government Ahead of New AI Copyright Proposals

This LGBT+ History Month, familiarise yourself with our advice on how to be a good ally to trans and non-binary colleagues

Members also viewed

News and features

Music Streaming: What Does a Fair Deal for Musicians Look Like?

Funding Applications Open for Young Folk and Traditional Music Performers

Katmuss for LGBT+ History Month: “The Community I Didn’t Know I Craved”

Represent the Views of Musicians in Your Region: Apply to Attend MU Delegate Conference 2025