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Photograph of a musician holding a guitar, we can't see their face and the photo focuses on their hands on the fretboard.

Changes to PRS for Music’s Online Live Concert Licence

A summary of changes to PRS for Music’s Online Live Concert Licence following their consultation with PRS members and the wider industry.

Photograph of three young musicians sat on sofas. One has a laptop and microphone, one a guitar, and one is writing on a notepad.

HE Cuts: “The Cultural Sector is Absolutely Right to be Angry”

What the Government’s proposed higher education (HE) cuts could mean for students and course providers – from affecting the financial viability of courses to cutting access for less privileged students and disproportionately affecting disabled people.

A closeup on a vintage keyboard with ebony, ivory and hardwood.

MU Responds to Consultation on the Ivory Ban Implementation

The MU alongside other music industry bodies have responded to the consultation on the implementation of the UK Ivory Ban.

Photograph of a young woman walking past what might be a music college, with a violin case strapped to her back.

Devastating For Arts and Humanities: The MU Responds to 50% Higher Education Funding Cut Consultation

The MU strongly opposes Government plans to impose a catastrophic 50% funding cut to arts subjects including music at Higher Education (HE) level in England.

Photograph focusing on a singer, singing emotively into a microphone. Blurred in the foreground is a second musician mixing into a laptop.

Reconsider Proposed Catastrophic 50% Funding Cut MPs Tell Secretary of State

Shadow secretaries of state Jo Stevens MP and Kate Green MP have written to Gavin Williamson calling on the Secretary of State for Education to drop proposals for a catastrophic 50% funding cut to arts subjects at the Higher Education level in England.

Photograph of three theatre spotlights, turned off.

MU General Secretary Addresses Phantom of the Opera Situation

MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge has today written to all members regarding the closure of the West End production of Phantom of the Opera in 2020, and the subsequent forthcoming production of the show featuring a greatly reduced orchestra.

A student is performing to her teacher in a concert room of what appears to be a conservatoire.

Take Action Against The Government’s Proposed 50% Funding Cut to Music at HE Level

The Government's plan to impose a catastrophic 50% funding cut to arts subjects including music at Higher Education (HE) level in England have caused uproar on social media.

Back to Work Series of Webinars for Orchestral Players Launched

We will be holding three separate virtual events specifically for orchestral players over the coming months, with the aim of giving our members the tools to return to work as safely as possible.

Photograph of the sun setting through the windows of an empty classroom.

MU Expresses Horror at Proposed Halving of Funding for Music at HE in England

The Government has announced that it plans to impose a 50 percent funding cut to “high cost” subjects at higher education (HE) in England, including music. This is because music and the arts are not among its “strategic priorities”. Members are encouraged to respond to their consultation.

Photograph of a sunny classroom, the photo is focused on a guitar leaning against a chair, in the background out of focus you can see a number of children holding guitars.

Scottish Instrumental Music Teaching Network to Hold First Conference

The Scottish Instrumental Music Teaching Network will be running a free online conference on Thursday 6 May, with topics ranging from group teaching strategies to exploring the power of creativity and inclusion.

Closeup photograph of a drumkit, taken from above.

DrumathonLIVE to Raise Money for Mental Health Charities

DrumathonLIVE will involve seven days of non-stop drumming by some of the world’s top drummers, starting from Saturday 15 May and raising money for mental health charities.

Photograph of Big Ben, a below photo showing just the clock face angled against a cloudy sky.

Lobbying Update: Using Our Brexit Survey Issues to Press for Change

In this lobbying update, MU Head of Communications and Government Relations Isabelle Gutierrez discusses how we will be using the results from our Brexit survey when it closes next week, and other actions in Parliament.

Photograph of a persons hands working at a keyboard, on a heavy wooden desk.

Social Media Blackout in Response to Sustained Racist Abuse Online

The MU will be standing in solidarity with this weekend’s social media boycott, to highlight social media company inaction on eradicating online hate and racism.

Photograph of a drum kit against a blurred background, which appears to be the outdoors. A string of brightly coloured lights suggests that this could be a festival.

Extend Government-Backed Pilots to Allow More Events to Go Ahead, Say MPs

In the absence of a wider insurance scheme for the events industry, the Government liability that will enable pilot events to go ahead this summer should be extended to cover a wider range of events to prevent further cancellations, say MPs.

Photograph of a young persons hands on an electric piano keyboard, the background is busy and lit in purple lights - there is a blurred band playing.

Call-Out for Experienced Mentors in the Music Industry

Following the success of their 2020 mentoring program, we.grow, shesaid.so and keychange have launched a call-out for senior music industry professionals and artists to volunteer as mentors for the Keychange participants.

Photograph of multiple memorial candles burning with golden light against a dark background.

TUC Marks International Workers’ Memorial Day with Virtual Memorial Wall

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) – of which the MU is a member – will be marking international Workers’ Memorial Day on the 28 April with a space to remember those who have lost their lives at work, or from work-related injury or illness.

A musician sits at a mixing desk, with different pieces of equipment, including multiple speakers and monitors facing them.

Over 5000 Musicians and Songwriters Back Fix Streaming Petition

Over 5,000 musicians, songwriters and fans have signed the Fix Streaming petition, after 150 artists including Annie Lennox, Paul McCartney and Kate Bush made headlines calling on the Government to act.

A photograph of an infant school classroom, there are decorations and brightly coloured posters on the walls, and an adult and child are playing tambourines together.

MU Welcomes Welsh Labour’s Commitment to Music Education in Senedd Elections

We’re encouraging members to share this positive news from Welsh Labour, and ask Senedd election candidates about their party’s plans for music and the creative industries.

A pair of white earphones photographed against a bright red background.

Looking to Hear From Members Who Have Had Issues with Digital Distributor Distrokid

We’re looking to hear from MU members who have had issues with the digital distributor Distrokid and their relationship with streaming platform Spotify, to ascertain how widespread the problem is.

Photo of an idyllic looking harbour scene in Cornwall, the sky is bright and the sea is a very deep blue with lots of fishing boats.

Creative Freelancer and Business Grants Available in South West England

West of England Combined Authority grant schemes are open until 7 May, and members in the area are urged to apply as soon as possible.

Three friends with painted nails sitting on a couch.

Applications Open for Free Get Started In The Music Industry Programme

Young people not in education, employment or training, and aged 18-30 can apply for TuneCore’s new education programme – run in partnership with Point Blank Music School and The Prince's Trust.

Photograph of Genia, featured in this article. She is wearing her long hair loose, and a red dress with a silver necklace. She is looking forward seriously into the camera.

Concert Pianist Génia: “These days, I take full advantage of what the MU has to offer”

Russian-born concert pianist Génia describes why being a member of the MU has benefitted her, from legal and career advice through to insurance and training.

A Black non-binary person with a leopard print cane presses a wall-mounted push button to open the cafe door. They are dressed in all black and have a shaved head, glasses, and a red lip on.

UK Music Survey Reveals 1 in 5 Disabled People Face Discrimination At Work

UK Music is calling on music industry leaders to ensure disabled people and people with long term health conditions can realise their dreams by removing potential barriers to job opportunities.

Photograph of a shoal of silver and orange healthy looking fish swimming in a dark blue ocean

MU Moves to Phase Out Membership Cards

As part of our drive to limit our impact on the climate, we’ll be phasing out membership cards, while ensuring this doesn’t affect your proof of membership or access to benefits.

We’re Partnering with Black Lives in Music and Encouraging Members to Take Their Survey

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a newly launched initiative which the MU has partnered with – on a mission to combat racism, uniting organisations and musicians to create a truly inclusive and diverse music industry.

Photograph of a row of violins, hanging up in a shop to be purchased.

Buying and Selling Musical Instruments

For professional musicians, buying and selling musical instruments can be a challenging and time-consuming process. Neil Crossley examines the options and assesses how to ensure you get the best outcome with the minimum hassle.

Photograph of a school student playing keyboard, as a teacher gestures with

Response to the Model Music Curriculum

The Government has published a new Model Music Curriculum for England. Chris Walters, the MU’s National Organiser for Education, highlights some key points.

A young asian woman against a bright blue background is listening to music through headphones and smiling broadly

MU Signs Open Letter to The Prime Minister to Reject ‘Insulting’ Report and Act on Race Equality at Work

36 trade union general secretaries –including the MU’s – have signed a letter to the PM, calling on him to take a different path to that recommended in the report from the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities.

Black and white photo of a guitarist holding an electric guitar standing in front of a large amplifier

Calling On The PM to Put The Value of Music Back “In The Hands of Music Makers”

An extraordinary roll call of music’s great and good call on the Prime Minister to reform the music industry by fixing streaming.

A band playing in silhouete outdoors against the sun setting in the background. They appear to be on a roof, there's a guitarist, a singer and a saxophone player.

A Cultural Recovery Fund Phase 2 and Freelancer Fund Update for Wales

Applications for the Cultural Recovery Fund Phase 2 close at 5:00 pm on Tuesday 20 April, while the next round of the Freelancer Fund will open for applications soon.

A young woman with Downs sydrome is leaning against a pillar at an underground station, listening to music.

We've Launched a Disabled Musicians Membership

We launched our new Disabled Musicians Membership this week, with the intention of recruiting, retaining and helping to level the playing field for disabled musicians.

Photograph of the band Gnoss, they are four men standing in front of a brick wall. Hands in their pockets, they are smiling at the camera.

Gnoss On Why They Joined The MU: “Membership Has Certainly Made Us Feel a Lot More Connected to Our Industry”

Young, Glasgow-based band Gnoss, discusses how membership of the MU has both given them invaluable tools on their journey, and helped them feel that they have someone in their corner.

Black and white photo of a row of large your busses at a stand still.

Brexit Testimonies: “I Desperately Need Some Resolution to This Problem”

Together with the ISM, we have compiled testimonies from a number of musicians, detailing the immediate impact of Brexit – here is one such account from the violinist Catherine Manson.

Photograph of a brass band ensemble, we can only see the feet of the closest musicians, with other musicians holding brass instruments slightly blurred in the background.

Brexit: 5 Minutes of Your Time to Help Us Keep The Pressure Up On The Government

Take the short, anonymous survey that we are running with the ISM and make sure that the Government doesn’t forget about the problems that Brexit is causing for touring musicians.

Photograph of a young woman working on her laptop at a table

12-Week Music Business Programme for Women and Marginalised Genders Opens to Applications For Free Spaces

Brighter Sound and Digital Advantage are running a free 12-week development programme for women and marginalised genders looking to launch and grow their own businesses within the music industry!

Young child wearing a mask is sat at a piano, turning round to face the camera he raises one thumb in a positive gesture.

We’ve Updated Our Advice for Teaching During Coronavirus

Following updated advice and further clarification from the devolved governments of the UK, we have updated our advice for musicians who teach in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.

Two UK passports back to back, one is the old style EU red passport, the other is the newer blue passport.

Brexit Guidance Video Released Following Panel Event

We’ve released a recording of our panel event, “What’s the deal?” which focused on process, lobbying, sales/merchandise rules and more for musicians working in the EU.

White painted chairs set out with socially distanced amount of space between them, outdoors.

Government Confirms “Incidental” Live Music Permitted in England from Stage Two

The Government has now confirmed a number of changes and extra details for musicians in its previously published Spring Roadmap for England – and we have updated our guidance accordingly.

Photograph of an orchestra set out in a socially distanced way, we can see all the musicians sat out across the stage in distanced positions, whilst a conductor gestures from the front.

Life in Lockdown for UK Orchestras

In this longer-read feature, find out more about how UK orchestras have been faring through the pandemic – including taking on remote recording projects, working in creative new directions, and putting health and safety first in the move back to work.

Photograph of a young girl wearing ear protectors at a concert. The background is blurred but we can see multiple people and string lights.

5 Things to Help Include More Autistic People at Gigs

It’s World Autism Day on 2 April! To celebrate we asked Autism consultant and Heart N Soul creative associate Robyn Rocket to write a blog for us with a few pointers on how we can consider inclusion for Autistic musicians and listeners when the world opens again post-Covid.

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