Music Writers Advisory Board

About the Music Writers Advisory Board

The Music Writers Advisory Board is a consultative body within the MU’s Live, Theatre & Music Writers’ department, made up of music writers working across all genres and parts of the industry.

For the purposes of this Board, ‘music writers’ include: songwriters, composers, orchestrators, arrangers, copyists and sound designers.

The Board assists the Union to represent, support and advocate for the interests of music writers.

Role

• Assisting the Union in ensuring that all music writer roles are represented and supported in its work.
• Feeding into discussions around the MU’s advice and resources for music writers, e.g., rates, contracts and online guidance.
• Promoting best practice, equality, diversity, and inclusion across the industry
• Supporting officials to respond to sector developments and trends.  
• Supporting MU officials in negotiations and consultations with commissioners and other industry stakeholders by providing experience-based knowledge and feedback on commissioning practices.

Areas of focus

• Ensuring that the MU represents all music writers, from singer-songwriters to orchestrators, media composers to electronic artists, and sound designers to modern classical composers
• Commissioning deals and practices across the industry
• The importance of royalties, and the ways in which the MU can address unfair buyouts and royalty-free deals
• AI, and the impact on music writers
• Rates of pay and use of appropriate contracts.

Recent achievements and ongoing work 

• Supported the Fair Score campaign, looking at royalties, commissioning practices and transparency for media composers
• Supported the development of guidance pieces that educate songwriters and composers on best practice
• Reported to Union Officials on sector challenges such as contractual recurring issues, late payments, undercutting of fees and terms and royalty income issues. 

Standing for the Music Writers Advisory Board

Seats: The Advisory Board comprises up to 20 elected members serving a two-year term with broad representation across the sector.

Meetings: The Advisory Board meets around three times per year, generally with a mix of online and in-person/hybrid meetings.

Eligibility: To stand for election, you must be a music writer and a member of the MU's Music Writers' Sector. You must be nominated by a fellow Music Writers Sector member. The Board aims for broad geographical and sector representation, with reserved seats to support diversity.

Co-option: The Board may co-opt additional members to address gaps in representation or expertise, with full voting rights.

Why join?

As a member of the Music Writers Advisory Board, you will have the opportunity to: 

• Influence MU policy and negotiations affecting music writers
• Gain a broader view of how the industry works, seeing the challenges and opportunities across the sector and how decisions are made
• Develop as an activist and leader within the sector
• Help shape the future of work and opportunities for music writers in the future.  

Responsibilities

Board members are expected to:

• Attend meetings and contribute to discussions and working groups
• Share responsibility for collective decisions and actions
• Uphold the MU’s values of equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Act as a conduit between music writers community and the MU.

Contact

Contact the Advisory Board with issues or feedback via musicwriters@themu.org.

Learn more about the MU Music Writers Sector.