PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
Artist Manager, Andy Edwards; Help Musicians UK’s Head of Strategic Communications, Indy Vidyalankara; Chair of Music Tank, Keith Harris; UK Music CEO, Michael Dugher; Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright MP.
NOT REALLY PARTYING AT A CROSS-PARTY PARTY. UK Music, as part of the UK Live Music Group, shares its yearly work with MPs, members of the House of Lords and industry stakeholders. PSA’s Andy Lenthall reports from the summer party.
UK Music was formed to be the government-facing voice of the entire music industry, comprising representation from all of the main trade bodies in the sector, backed by a small, hardworking team of staff under the direction of a board and the leadership of CEO, Michael Dugher. Over the past 11 years, its activities have extended beyond its political mission to encompass research and skills projects. Every year, UK Music holds a summer party, a stone’s throw from Westminster, to encourage the wider membership to meet the influencers that they’ve been, well, influencing over the past 12 months. Sure, there’s drinks, nibbles and a few famous faces but the real objective is to reinforce the messages coming from the industry and get real understanding and commitment from ministers. To have Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright MP who addressed the Party
along with Shadow DCMS Secretary, Tom Watson MP and Lib Dem DCMS Spokesperson, Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter is no mean feat, there was a request from the floor for a spokesperson for the Brexit Party, we’re not sure what happened to that particular guest. Wright outlined his determination to work with UK Music to continue to develop the music industry’s eco-system. He said: “I recognise that what we need to do is to make sure that the talent pipeline stays open. That’s not just about bringing people in from overseas, though that’s part of it. It’s also about making sure the next generation of UK musicians have the creative education they need and deserve. I take the responsibility seriously. There is a lot more to do, but I think we as politicians should do it.” Wright also highlighted his support for UK Music’s successful battle over the EU Copyright Directive, encapsulated in our #LoveMusic campaign. The 104
