Women in Live Music: New report reveals gender disparities
A new report, ‘Seat at the Table: LIVE Edition’ looks at the role of women in live music and the battle for more equitable gender representation.
The study was done by Women in CTRL and commissioned by LIVE (Live Music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which represents 15 UK live music industry organisations.
While the findings show some progress, they also show the persistent disparities in women in live music leadership positions:
- 41% of board members across LIVE and its 15 member organisations are women and/or non-binary people.
- Only 8% of board members are women from a global majority* background.
- Just 27% of CEOs across LIVE’s member organisations are women.
- 0% of CEOs or Chairs come from a global majority background.
- 30% of Chairs across LIVE’s member organisations are women.
- 4 out of 16 organisations have 50% or more women and/or non-binary board members.
- Music Venue Trust (MVT) leads with 61% of its board identifying as women and/or non-binary.
The report establishes a much needed starting point for measuring progress and driving meaningful change, following LIVE’s recent statement of commitment to eradicating misogyny in the live music industry.
Read the full ‘Seat at the Table: LIVE Edition’ report (PDF).
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of the Skyline Artists Agency
