#FreelanceShoutOut Freelance ShoutOut Back fair pay and conditions for all freelance musicians. 72%* of musicians work freelance all or part of the time, up 7% in a decade 5* a typical musician works across 4 to 5 genres 4* on average musicians play 2 to 3 instruments, and 20% play more than 4 * Source: Musicians’ Census 2023. Get the recognition you deserve The issue The values The solution Being a freelance musician is a highly skilled job. A typical musician works across 4-5 genres and plays 2-3 instruments. That’s before you get to the labour freelancers have to do that employed peers don’t, from marketing and logistics, to HR and finance. Yet musicians’ average annual income from music work is £20,700 – and nearly half earn under £14,000. Nearly half don’t earn enough to support themselves or their families, and almost a third of all musicians reported experiencing negative mental wellbeing. These issues are particularly acute for the 72% musicians who work freelance. That’s where the Union comes in – to help you make your voice heard and get the recognition you deserve. It doesn’t matter if you’re employed or freelance – everyone deserves fair pay and conditions and respect at work. All freelancers should: have the same rights and protections as employed people be paid fairly and on time for their work have the same access to facilities when they go into employed workplaces be and feel valued for their work by colleagues, peers, the union movement, politicians and the economy. No freelancer should be exploited or made to feel less than because of their employment status. Yet this happens regularly, from music teachers denied access to toilets and staff rooms, to performers denied basic facilities and safety at work. Build understanding of what it means to be a freelancer and the benefits of union power in your workplace, with Freelance ShoutOut. Do you know what benefits and services you have access to with your Union membership? Explore them all – including legal advice, contract advice, unpaid fee recovery and insurance Do you need advice or assistance with an issue at work? Contact your MU regional office Do you work in a sector covered by Union agreements? Sign up to your Union section (network) to get the latest industry news, and shape the future of your sector Are you interested in equality, diversity and inclusion? Join our dedicated spaces exclusively for women members, disabled members, LGBT+ members, and members who experience racism. Be part of Freelance ShoutOut! Scroll down for more ideas to get involved. Resource Musicians’ Union Guide to Organising and Campaigning Have you spotted an issue in your workplace or local music community that trade union organising could help with? Learn how to identify potential campaigns and organise your workplace with the Musicians’ Union Guide to Organising and Campaigning. Get the guide Get involved Instrumental music teachers Become an MU Education Rep and get training in essential organising skills for your workplace or local music community. Read more about Instrumental music teachers Touring artists Find venues for your next tour using the Union’s Fair Play Venue list. Read more about Touring artists Freelance Orchestral Players Meet your roving MU Stewards and get involved in Union organising where you are. Read more about Freelance Orchestral Players Theatre musicians Shape pay, conditions and policy by joining the Union’s Theatre Section. Read more about Theatre musicians Session players Back the campaign to fix streaming for non-featured artists and all musicians. Read more about Session players Music writers Join the Fair Score movement to end coercive buyouts for media composers. Read more about Music writers
Instrumental music teachers Become an MU Education Rep and get training in essential organising skills for your workplace or local music community. Read more about Instrumental music teachers
Touring artists Find venues for your next tour using the Union’s Fair Play Venue list. Read more about Touring artists
Freelance Orchestral Players Meet your roving MU Stewards and get involved in Union organising where you are. Read more about Freelance Orchestral Players
Theatre musicians Shape pay, conditions and policy by joining the Union’s Theatre Section. Read more about Theatre musicians
Session players Back the campaign to fix streaming for non-featured artists and all musicians. Read more about Session players
Music writers Join the Fair Score movement to end coercive buyouts for media composers. Read more about Music writers