Black Lives in Music REMEL report finds systemic racial bias in London music licensing

A comprehensive two-year inquiry into London's live music licensing has revealed persistent racial inequities that disproportionately affect Black and South Asian music promoters and venues. The report, published by Black Lives in Music and titled REMEL (Race Equality in Music Event Licensing), highlights how licensing decisions have systematically hindered the growth and financial viability of culturally diverse music scenes in the capital.

The investigation found that events led by Black and South Asian organizers are more frequently cancelled, restricted, or shut down compared to white-led events of similar scale. This pattern contributes to an estimated annual economic loss between £127 million and £141 million for the city’s Black and South Asian live music sectors, with potential cumulative losses exceeding £650 million over five years.

One of the report’s critical insights is the continued influence of the now-defunct Form 696, a controversial risk assessment tool scrapped in 2017. Despite its official removal, its legacy endures, shaping policing and licensing attitudes that disproportionately target genres associated with Black and South Asian communities, such as Afrobeats, hip hop, R&B, and dancehall. These genres face heightened scrutiny and are often classified as high-risk, unlike indie, pop, and rock genres, which receive comparatively lighter oversight.

The REMEL findings also expose the use of broad area crime statistics to justify stringent restrictions on individual venues, a practice that inflates security demands and compliance costs for promoters. This has created significant financial and operational barriers, undermining the ability of culturally significant live music events to thrive.

The report advocates for the establishment of a licensing framework that prioritizes transparency, cultural competency, and evidence-based decision-making. Central to its 19 recommendations is the creation of an independent review panel appointed jointly by the Home Office and the Greater London Authority. This panel would oversee licensing fairness, assess police influence, and ensure consistency in applying licensing regulations.

Additional proposals include embedding equality and human rights mandates into licensing laws, obligating local authorities to publish annual data on licensing outcomes for external scrutiny, and initiating a dedicated Cultural Events Relief Fund. The fund would support cultural and nightlife operators with targeted loans and micro-grants, addressing the unique challenges faced by venues and promoters from marginalized communities.

The inquiry was conducted by a diverse steering group that included representatives from the Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police Service, UK Music, LIVE, the Musicians' Union, alongside artists, promoters, venue operators, and community leaders. This collaborative approach followed advocacy efforts by the Musicians' Union and Black Lives in Music, which called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to address racial bias within the event licensing system.

Industry leaders have acknowledged the report’s significance. LIVE CEO Jon Collins underscored the entrenched obstacles faced by Black and South Asian professionals in live music, emphasizing the economic and personal costs incurred due to disproportionate policing and inconsistent licensing. UK Music’s chief executive Tom Kiehl described the findings as deeply troubling, stressing the need for a fair, data-driven licensing process to protect the UK’s booming music economy, which generates billions and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The Music Venue Trust also lauded the report as essential reading for all stakeholders involved in programming, licensing, and funding decisions. Its CEO Mark Davyd emphasized the report’s rigorous evidence base and called for a collective reckoning with institutional biases affecting the music ecosystem.

From the Musicians' Union perspective, the cancellation of events due to racial inequities translates into lost employment opportunities for underrepresented artists and diminished cultural diversity on stage. The union has committed to holding decision-makers accountable and advancing equitable practices within the industry.

While recent government measures, including a 20% business rates reduction for pubs, clubs, and live music venues, aim to ease financial pressures, the REMEL report points out that access to licensing remains a critical hurdle, particularly for Black and South Asian-led entities. The report highlights cases where venues suffered severe financial damage following police-imposed restrictions, often without clear justification.

Looking forward, Black Lives in Music CEO Charisse Beaumont urges swift implementation of the report’s recommendations through collaboration with the forthcoming independent London Nightlife Taskforce. She stresses that embedding fairness and cultural understanding into licensing processes is vital to fostering a vibrant, inclusive live music scene that fuels creativity and economic opportunity.

With widespread support from government bodies, law enforcement, and industry organizations, the REMEL report sets a new benchmark for addressing racial inequality in music licensing. Its findings call for transformative change to ensure that London's rich cultural tapestry is not undermined by systemic bias but celebrated as a vital economic and artistic asset.