News & Stories for Musicians

Woman holding her back, exhibiting symptoms of pain

Scottish Members Asked to Complete Survey on Musculoskeletal Injury

Chartered Physiotherapist and BAPAM (British Association of Performing Arts Medicine) practitioner Maria J Lopez is inviting all musicians living within Scotland to complete a short questionnaire on current musculoskeletal injury rates.

Published: 09 July 2019

Feminine presenting person playing a drum kit

QMU Becomes First Scottish Venue to Sign the Keychange 50/50 Pledge

The Queen Margaret Union (QMU), a students’ union at the University of Glasgow, has become the first live venue in Scotland to sign the Keychange 50/50 pledge – committing to achieving a 50/50 gender balance in their performers by 2022.

Published: 28 June 2019

Photo from the Women's march in 2018, person holding large sign reading

MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl talks to BBC Woman’s Hour about sexual harassment in music

MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl spoke to BBC Woman’s Hour about sexism, sexual harassment and abuse in the music industry following a Newsbeat investigation into the harassment experienced by fans.

Published: 11 June 2019

Photograph close up of Microphone on neutral background

Applications Encouraged to BBC Scotland Debate Night

BBC Scotland’s new discussion programme, hosted by Stephen Jardine, is looking for members to be part of the audience and put their questions to the people in power.

Published: 17 May 2019

Primary aged children take part in a classroom ukulele lesson.

Crowd Funding Appeal for Judicial Review of Music Tuition Fees in Scottish State Schools

A crowd funding appeal is underway to raise £15,000 to pay the legal fees for the necessary first steps in a potential judicial review of the lawfulness of fees for musical instrument tuition in Scotland's state schools.

Published: 25 April 2019

New Performing Arts Medicine Clinic at the Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast

BAPAM (the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine) are opening a new free clinic for performing arts professionals and students in Northern Ireland.

Published: 18 April 2019

May Day Marches Across Scotland and Northern Ireland

Members are encouraged to join a May Day March, where trade unionists and the labour movement will come together to celebrate efforts to improve workers’ rights.

Published: 16 April 2019

MU and ABO launch Manifesto for British Orchestras

The MU and the ABO have created a joint Manifesto for British Orchestras and are collectively inviting orchestras to sign up.

Published: 21 March 2019

Mentoring Scheme for Female MU Members Launched

The MU and shesaid.so have combined forces to support women in the industry by matching fellow musicians together, to help one another grow and succeed in their careers.

Published: 13 March 2019

Scottish Trades Union Congress Opens Survey on Mental Health in the Workplace for #TimeToTalk Day

The survey aims to look at the root causes of mental ill health in work, how to challenge these, and wider societal issues around mental health.

Published: 07 February 2019

Protest to Be Held by Local School Students Against Midlothian Council’s Decision to Axe Instrument Tuition

A musical flash mob will be gathering on Tuesday 12 February outside the council chambers in Dalkeith, to protest Midlothian Council’s recently announced plan to axe music tuition in its schools.

Published: 05 February 2019

Half Price Member Tickets to Artist:Entrepreneur Day in Belfast

The Artist:Entrepreneur Day from the Featured Artists Coalition and CMU:DIY will be staged in Belfast on Sunday 18, in partnership with Help Musicians NI.

Published: 14 November 2018

The MU Encourages Scottish Members to Have Their Say About Youth Music Activity

Help build a picture of youth music activity in Scotland, and shape the future of music in Scotland, with this 5 - 15 minute survey.

Published: 22 June 2018

Members Urged to Sign Petition for Scottish Children’s Music Services

A petition to the Scottish Parliament is gathering signatures, calling for free lessons to be available to all Scottish state school students who wish to learn a musical instrument.

Published: 05 June 2018

UK’s First Live Music Census Reveals Ongoing Threats to Small Venues

Small venues continue to face threats that could affect their long-term future, warns UK’s first Live Music Census.

Published: 16 February 2018

Agent of Change Principle on the Agenda in the Scottish Parliament

A ministerial statement on Planning was made at Holyrood on the Tuesday 5 December by Lewis MacDonald MSP in regards to the implementation of the Agent of Change principle in Scotland.

Published: 06 December 2017

The MU is Here to Support You If You Face Inappropriate Behaviour at Work

We are here to offer support and guidance if you face sexual harassment, exploitation or abuse at work. If you are an employed or self-employed musician, regardless of which part of the industry you work in, you can talk to us. We will listen.

Published: 19 October 2017

MPs & Peers: Please Support Musicians Working in the EU

The Musicians’ Union (MU) is calling on MPs to support musicians working in the EU – share the pledge! #WorkingInTheEU

Published: 02 June 2017

General Election 2017

The Musicians’ Union (MU) is pleased by many of the policies in the Labour manifesto, and that the Labour Party has acknowledged major concerns that musicians have around Brexit.

Published: 31 May 2017

MU Success Supporting Precarious Workers at STUC 2017

STUC passes MU motion acknowledging the challenges of the gig economy, how we can better protect independent workers and grow the union movement.

Published: 25 April 2017

May Day Marches in Scotland & Northern Ireland

Join a May Day March throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland at one of the following locations.

Published: 25 April 2017

MU success at TUC Young Workers’ Conference

TUC Young Workers’ Conference supports MU motion on protecting freelance workers.

Published: 07 April 2017

Horace Trubridge wins MU General Secretary election

Horace Trubridge has today been confirmed as the next General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union (MU).

Published: 27 March 2017

BBC invests more in Scotland and Wales

The BBC has announced a new TV channel in Scotland and an extra £8.5m a year in English language television programmes for Wales.

Published: 02 March 2017

John Shortell leads the LGBT History Month Panel Discussion Panel

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues! What Happened Next…

In 2016, we hosted a panel examining recent closures of LGBT venues and what we could do to preserve them in the future. A year on, things are beginning to change.

Published: 26 January 2017

Musicians’ Union Supports Independent Venue Week

Independent Venue Week is a seven-day celebration of small music venues around the UK, and the Musicians’ Union is proud to be involved once again.

Published: 17 January 2017

International Showcase Fund Now Available for Scottish Artists

PRS for Music Foundation and Creative Scotland partnership opens International Showcase Fund to Scottish bands for the first time.

Published: 25 November 2016

New £45million Edinburgh Live Music Venue

Plans are underway to build a new £45million venue in the heart of Edinburgh New Town.

Published: 25 November 2016

Music is Audible in Edinburgh

We are delighted to report that the City of Edinburgh Council Licensing Board has agreed to revise the wording of the notorious ‘inaudibility’ clause.

Published: 10 October 2016

NUJ Scotland training courses open to MU members

The National Union of Journalists Scotland are running training opportunities in May, June and August which are open to MU members.

Published: 15 June 2016

Showcase Scotland Expo at Australian Music Week 2016

Applications are now open for a showcasing opportunity at Australian Music Week 2016 (AMW).

Published: 14 June 2016

Entertainment Unions Launch Alternative Vision for BBC

The Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU) is launching its BBC Alternative White Paper in Parliament today (Tuesday 15 March).

Published: 15 March 2016

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues!

Highlights from our LGBT History Month panel discussion on the future of LGBT venues.

Published: 05 February 2016

Live music venues under threat in Aberdeen

Sign the petition to support Aberdeen venues and call on the City Council to adopt the Agent of Change principle.

Published: 03 February 2016

Trade Union Bill in the House of Lords

Over the next few weeks the House of Lords will be discussing the Trade Union Bill, which amongst other things threatens the basic right to strike.

Published: 21 January 2016

Frances O'Grady speaking into microphone

MU condemns ‘unnecessary’ Trade Union Bill

The Government has now published its Trade Union Bill, which includes plans to criminalise picketing, permit employers to hire strike-breaking agency staff and a requirement that at least 40% of those asked to vote support the strike in most key public services.

Published: 16 July 2015

Various instruments and sheet music stands set up on stage

Major rights group launches online campaign for artists

In May, four organisations representing more than 500,000 performers in Europe joined forces to campaign for the fair remuneration of online revenues.

Published: 21 May 2015

Support the campaign to save The Arches, Glasgow

Glasgow City Council Licensing Board has ruled that the famous venue can now no longer operate after midnight, the impact of which could lead to the venue shutting down.

Published: 21 May 2015

Review of Entertainment Licensing in Northern Ireland

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has announced a review of the current entertainment licensing regime in Northern Ireland which has been in place for almost 30 years.

Published: 21 May 2015

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Scottish Members Asked to Complete Survey on Musculoskeletal Injury

QMU Becomes First Scottish Venue to Sign the Keychange 50/50 Pledge

MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl talks to BBC Woman’s Hour about sexual harassment in music

Applications Encouraged to BBC Scotland Debate Night

Crowd Funding Appeal for Judicial Review of Music Tuition Fees in Scottish State Schools

New Performing Arts Medicine Clinic at the Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast

May Day Marches Across Scotland and Northern Ireland

MU and ABO launch Manifesto for British Orchestras

Mentoring Scheme for Female MU Members Launched

Scottish Trades Union Congress Opens Survey on Mental Health in the Workplace for #TimeToTalk Day

Protest to Be Held by Local School Students Against Midlothian Council’s Decision to Axe Instrument Tuition

Half Price Member Tickets to Artist:Entrepreneur Day in Belfast

The MU Encourages Scottish Members to Have Their Say About Youth Music Activity

Members Urged to Sign Petition for Scottish Children’s Music Services

UK’s First Live Music Census Reveals Ongoing Threats to Small Venues

Agent of Change Principle on the Agenda in the Scottish Parliament

The MU is Here to Support You If You Face Inappropriate Behaviour at Work​

MPs & Peers: Please Support Musicians Working in the EU

General Election 2017

MU Success Supporting Precarious Workers at STUC 2017

May Day Marches in Scotland & Northern Ireland

MU success at TUC Young Workers’ Conference

Horace Trubridge wins MU General Secretary election

BBC invests more in Scotland and Wales

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues! What Happened Next…

Musicians’ Union Supports Independent Venue Week

International Showcase Fund Now Available for Scottish Artists

New £45million Edinburgh Live Music Venue

Music is Audible in Edinburgh

NUJ Scotland training courses open to MU members

Showcase Scotland Expo at Australian Music Week 2016

Entertainment Unions Launch Alternative Vision for BBC

We Need to Talk About LGBT Venues!

Live music venues under threat in Aberdeen

Trade Union Bill in the House of Lords

MU condemns ‘unnecessary’ Trade Union Bill

Major rights group launches online campaign for artists

Support the campaign to save The Arches, Glasgow

Review of Entertainment Licensing in Northern Ireland

The MU is Here to Support You If You Face Inappropriate Behaviour at Work