Delegate Conference

"Our Delegate Conference, which is held every other year, is crucial to the MU’s democracy and for our representation of musicians and their concerns. It provides an opportunity for members to directly influence the Union’s policy and to drive change. Conference also provides an excellent opportunity to find out about the work we have been doing to represent musicians’ interests over the past two years and meet fellow members.

"Past conferences have seen members set the agenda on issues such as music streaming, better representation of marginalised musicians, lobbying for arts funding, the climate emergency, protecting BBC Introducing, advocating for instrumental music tuition, and informing members about photo ID for voting purposes.

"The last delegate conference in Birmingham was very successful, with 140 attendees, 18 motions carried and 20 changes to the MU’s rules approved.

"Conference is your chance to support the MU in creating a fairer, more equitable industry and trade union for all musicians. We are here for all members, and we want to make sure that we represent you effectively wherever you are based, however you make music and whatever your background. As always, we are behind every musician". 

Naomi Pohl, MU General Secretary.

"The MU’s biennial Conference is the perfect opportunity to get more involved with the MU.

"At Conference we discuss all the work our staff and members have undertaken in the previous two years. We make Rule changes to help the MU function more efficiently; we debate and vote on Motions that come from our committees in the nations and regions; and we report on the important conversations and negotiations that have taken place with our members’ employers and politicians.

"Following on from our incredibly successful conference in Birmingham in 2023; as Chair of the MU’s Executive Committee, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to join us as a delegate or visitor in Liverpool in 2025.

"Come and hear more about the great work the MU does, how it supports members and how our Union makes a positive difference to our working lives. Spend time working and socialising with like-minded musicians who are as passionate as you are, helping to make our Industry more valued, and our Union stronger".

Alex Gascoine, Chair of the MU's Executive Committee. 

What is MU Delegate Conference?

Conference is an exciting event that gives members the chance to produce new MU policy, guide the future work of the MU, engage in debate on the issues that matter to them most and ensure that the MU is working for all members, all of the time.

Past conferences have seen members set the agenda on issues such as: streaming, better representation of marginalised musicians, lobbying for arts funding, protecting BBC Introducing, advocating for instrumental music tuition, and informing members about photo ID for voting purposes. Conference is your chance to support the MU in creating a fairer, more equitable industry and trade union for all musicians.

At conference you will hear all about the work the MU has undertaken over the past two years and hear from industry speakers and MPs. You’ll also have plenty of time to network and connect with other members.

For members who are new to conference, there will be a dedicated space to make sure you know how everything works and that you’re ready to go on the first day. There will also be dedicated spaces for our Disabled, Global Majority, LGBT+, Young and Women members to connect with their communities.

An informal drinks reception will take place on Monday evening, and this will be a chance for you to meet other members ahead of the first day of conference. A dinner will also then take place on the evening of Tuesday 22 July, followed by live music and a brilliant DJ. 

Catch up on what happened at the last Delegate Conference and what you can expect below. 

Delegate Conference 2025 further information

Travel and accommodation

Hotel accommodation and catering will be provided on Monday and Tuesday evening for delegates and guests. Delegates and visitors’ accessibility requirements will receive our full attention and provision as required. Reasonable travel expenses will be covered for attendees in keeping with the Union’s expense policy.

Expenses

Full accommodation and catering will be provided throughout the event so there will be no additional subsistence expenses payable to attendees.

How to attend

Nominations for delegates will be called for in early 2025, at the same time as the reminder for motions in the new year. Please keep an eye on the website, member newsletters and emails.

Conference report

Ahead of conference, the MU produces a concise digital report that details all our work over the past two years. As a delegate, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions on the report during the conference and explore our work in more detail. Questions from delegates on the various parts of the report will be taken on a section-by-section basis.

The report, along with all other conference documents, will be made available to attendees in digital format prior to the event.

Conference motions

A ‘motion’ is a trade union way of asking for something. At MU Delegate Conference, it’s how you ask the Executive Committee, the governing body of the MU, to do something on your behalf. Any member can write a motion for MU Delegate Conference to debate and vote on. Find out more about Motions and how to write a successful one. 

The deadline for submission of conference motions will be 28 March 2025. This is to ensure that conference motions are as contemporary and relevant as possible. Members will be reminded of this date and be provided with full details on how to submit motions in the new year.

Members will be invited to put forward motions for conference for their Regional Committees to consider, at meetings due to take place in Spring 2025.

Motions carried by each region will be contained within the conference report and referenced to a section in the document and numbered accordingly. Delegates will consider each motion at the conclusion of questions on the section to which it has been allocated.

Please note that retired (free) members are not eligible to submit motions. Each region is entitled to propose one conference motion for every 750 members in the region on 31 December 2024. This is subject to a minimum of three and a maximum of fourteen motions per region. The Regional Committee will determine which motions are to be submitted for inclusion of the conference agenda.

Conference motions must be supported by five full paid-up members of the region and should address matters of Union policy at a national level. No member may move or support more than two motions (members are referred to MU Rule VI with regards to the submitting of motions).

Proposals for Rule Changes

Proposals for rule changes will be contained in a separate section of the conference report. Delegates will consider rule changes sequentially as a separate item in the conference programme.

Standing Orders Committee

The activities of the Standing Orders Committee continue unchanged.