skip to main content

Chairman of UK Music Diversity Taskforce Reviews Last 12 Months

A recent blog by Ammo Talwar – chairman of the UK Music diversity taskforce – published on Punch’s website, is recommended reading for unpacking diversity in the music industry over the last 12 months.

Published: 10 December 2020 | 9:45 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:32 PM
Photograph of a London skyline on a misty, early morning. The sun has just risen in the sky and the light is quite yellow.
"Now was the time for the music industry to stand up and back a radical, sustainable plan to repair the diversity deficit." Photo credit: Shutterstock

Talwar’s retrospective examines how “The outcry over the murder of George Floyd once again highlighed injustices in the law, amplifying the voices of the Black Lives Matter movement,” and the “difficult debates, decisions and discussions for all of us,” which followed.

He goes on to explain how “questions of privilege (perhaps “white”, perhaps “gender”, perhaps “place”) were being asked. How much of their success in the music industry was down to privilege, family networks, not undiluted raw talent? More importantly, how do we create better opportunities and better representation for the rest of us?”

Members are also encouraged to read the blog in order to find out more about UK Music’s important TEN POINT PLAN for sustainably developing diversity in the music industry, “drawn from the 2020 survey, based on new metrics, fresh evidence and lived experience of diversity in the music industry today, here in the UK.”

We recommend that members read Talwar’s full blog on Punch’s website, to understand the watershed moment that the music industry is at today – as, in the words which he uses to end the blog, “it’s simply time to act.”

Get MU membership today

From gig players to part-time teachers and professional instrumentalists, MU members can access specialist insurance for musicians. This includes accident cover, health schemes, travel insurance and car insurance add-ons through the Musicians’ Union.

Explore our member services

  • Get public liability insurance for musicians
  • Access expert legal support
  • Be represented in your profession
  • Access expert career advice, resources, and training events
  • Connect, network, and get to know the community of musicians

Learn about all membership benefits

Get MU membership today

Continue reading

WNO musicians holding up placards to support the Protect WNO campaign.

MU Welcomes £3.6m Boost for Welsh Arts Sector

Welsh National Opera is set to get the largest share of £3.6 million of new funding to support jobs and touring, following campaigning by Musicians' Union members in the orchestra.

Published: 05 December 2024

Read more about MU Welcomes £3.6m Boost for Welsh Arts Sector
A Black male musician wearing a baseball cap singing into a microphone.

Have Your Say on the Value of Black British Music

Artists, creators and industry professionals working with Black British music are encouraged to take part in the survey to understand the value that the artform brings to the UK music industry.

Published: 04 December 2024

Read more about Have Your Say on the Value of Black British Music
Close up of two microphones on a mixing desk in a studio.

CIISA Launches Open Consultation of Standards for Creative Industries

The MU is encouraging all members to take part in the consultation (which runs until 27 January), to help set out the minimum standards of behaviour expected across the UK’s creative industries, to enable safe and inclusive working environments.

Published: 02 December 2024

Read more about CIISA Launches Open Consultation of Standards for Creative Industries