The proportion of BAME (Black, Asian, minority ethnic) representation in the music industry’s workforce is 15.6 percent, higher than the UK population as a whole (12.8 percent), a new report from UK Music has revealed.
Among new starters in the music industry, those who have worked for under a year, 27.5 percent are BAME, suggesting the work being done to encourage diversity at this level is having a positive effect.
At the same time, the research discovered that the proportion decreases by age: between the ages of 35 and 44 the figure is 11.7 percent and from 45 to 64, this figures sits at 7.6 percent.
The overall split of men to women (53.6 percent to 45.3 percent) in the music industry shows women are slightly underrepresented in comparison with the UK population (49.3 percent to 50.7 percent). However, between the ages of 25 and 34, women account for 54.5 percent of the workforce which looks more positive for younger women in the industry.
This number drops to 41.4 percent in the 35 to 44 age range and to 32.7 percent between 45 and 64.
UK Music’s workforce diversity survey was launched in July 2016 by the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, chaired by Keith Harris, in order to gain a snapshot of diversity within the workplace across the many music businesses in the UK.
Keith Harris OBE, chairman of UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce, said: ‘It seems that we have reached a moment where the need to improve the diversity of our industry is being matched by a desire by all the interested parties to put initiatives in place that will make a significant difference. I am optimistic that over the coming few years we will see a significant improvement.’
Jo Dipple, UK Music chief executive, said: ‘This survey gives us the first real insight into diversity across all businesses in the music industry. The history of British music is one of merging multiple genres from numerous cultures into unique sounds. Diversity has allowed our industry to sustain a global reputation for the UK. Nurturing and bolstering workforce diversity adds strength to this country’s astonishing musical output. The two go hand in hand.’
This inaugural diversity survey took data from almost 3,000 staff from major and independent record labels, music publishers, managers, producers, royalty-collection societies and the live music industry.
The taskforce's aim is to work with industry bodies and music employers to ensure that workforces are as demonstrably diverse as the music created and exported.
Visit ukmusic.org to find out more.
Among new starters in the music industry, those who have worked for under a year, 27.5 percent are BAME, suggesting the work being done to encourage diversity at this level is having a positive effect.
At the same time, the research discovered that the proportion decreases by age: between the ages of 35 and 44 the figure is 11.7 percent and from 45 to 64, this figures sits at 7.6 percent.
The overall split of men to women (53.6 percent to 45.3 percent) in the music industry shows women are slightly underrepresented in comparison with the UK population (49.3 percent to 50.7 percent). However, between the ages of 25 and 34, women account for 54.5 percent of the workforce which looks more positive for younger women in the industry.
This number drops to 41.4 percent in the 35 to 44 age range and to 32.7 percent between 45 and 64.
UK Music’s workforce diversity survey was launched in July 2016 by the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, chaired by Keith Harris, in order to gain a snapshot of diversity within the workplace across the many music businesses in the UK.
Keith Harris OBE, chairman of UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce, said: ‘It seems that we have reached a moment where the need to improve the diversity of our industry is being matched by a desire by all the interested parties to put initiatives in place that will make a significant difference. I am optimistic that over the coming few years we will see a significant improvement.’
Jo Dipple, UK Music chief executive, said: ‘This survey gives us the first real insight into diversity across all businesses in the music industry. The history of British music is one of merging multiple genres from numerous cultures into unique sounds. Diversity has allowed our industry to sustain a global reputation for the UK. Nurturing and bolstering workforce diversity adds strength to this country’s astonishing musical output. The two go hand in hand.’
This inaugural diversity survey took data from almost 3,000 staff from major and independent record labels, music publishers, managers, producers, royalty-collection societies and the live music industry.
The taskforce's aim is to work with industry bodies and music employers to ensure that workforces are as demonstrably diverse as the music created and exported.
Visit ukmusic.org to find out more.
