Global superstar Ed Sheeran has launched a UK-focused youth music charity with the aim of increasing industry and government support in development and education.

The Ed Sheeran Foundation is poised to address inequalities in music education, particularly in underserved areas. It has already partnered with 18 schools and grassroots organisations, impacting over 12,000 young people.

“Music education has shaped who I am. I’ve always enjoyed playing music, and it’s led to some of the best moments of my life,” Sheeran says.

In support of the new initiative, Sheeran voyaged to Northern Ireland last Friday (10 January) to visit three partner organisations: Drake Music Northern Ireland, Hotbox Entertainment and the Oh Yeah Music Centre.

Joined by Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, who helped found the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Sheeran met music programme participants, joined in a band rehearsal and took part in a Q&A with aspiring promoters and producers.

“Music and the arts are badly underfunded in Northern Ireland,” Lightbody says. “The Republic of Ireland government spends the equivalent of £25 per capita on the arts; Wales spends £10 per capita; Northern Ireland only spends £5 per capita. As a result, access to music education here is miles below where it should be.”

“Furthermore, Northern Ireland is often excluded from British arts initiatives. That’s why it’s so significant that Ed has expanded to include Northern Ireland in his Foundation work. I’m genuinely excited about what this means for music in the UK as a whole, and, on a personal level, I’m particularly encouraged by what it could mean for Northern Ireland.”

“Providing opportunities for breaking acts is an essential cornerstone of our business”

Oh Yeah Music Centre CEO Charlotte Dryden echoes this: “The funding of the arts in Northern Ireland is at an all-time low and the cost of living is not getting any easier, so to have this support from Ed Sheeran is incredible.

“Music education is a vital part of a child’s development and we want to ensure that we can play a part in supporting young people that may face barriers to get involved in music. Thanks to the Ed Sheeran Foundation we will be able to provide 100 young people with access to music that will include instruments, mentoring, tuition and performances. We aim to incorporate existing projects, as well as working with our partners and will be engaging with schools as part of this,” she says.

Last year, UK Music reported the national music industry contributed a record £7.6 billion (€9.1bn) to the economy in 2023. Yet, disparities remain in terms of access to music education: a 2019 survey from record industry trade body BPI revealed one in four schools serving disadvantaged communities offer no music lessons at all.

Sheeran’s institution aims to rectify the gap by providing access to instruments, creating practice and performance opportunities, and opening pathways to the music industry. The efforts have inspired local organisations to step up their efforts, with Shine Promotions committed to contributing £10k towards the purchase of instruments.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with local musical talent in Northern Ireland for over 30 years, and it’s incredible to see the breadth of musicians from this country that are now projecting influence internationally,” says Alan Simms, CEO of Shine, which runs the legendary Belfast venue The Limelight (cap. 750).

“Providing opportunities for breaking acts is an essential cornerstone of our business, and I believe it helps in a small way to contribute to a vibrant and exciting artistic ecosystem.”

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Belfast City Council is set to invest £400,000 in the city’s live music sector, three years after being named a UNESCO City of Music.

The latest round of funding is designated to bolster the development of local artists and the local music scene while maximising opportunities gained through the UNESCO designation.

The Northern Irish capital city is the only city on the island to earn the accolade, and the third across the British Isles after Glasgow and Liverpool. Globally, 75 cities have been awarded the distinction.

“A huge amount of work has gone into maximising the benefits of our UNESCO City of Music status and ensuring we support and strengthen our industry to unlock its potential to create jobs, develop vibrancy and help people access the arts,” says Micky Murray, Belfast lord mayor.

“With council’s support, this good work will continue, giving our musicians and those working in the gig economy the tools, skills and opportunities to develop their careers, both in Belfast and beyond our shores,” he says.

Since earning the distinction in 2021, the Belfast city council has developed a Music Matters roadmap and established the Belfast Region Music Board. Last June, the council partnered with Music Venues Trust to inject £20,000 into grassroots venues, aligning with their Music Matters initiative to upgrade spaces and equipment for local spaces.

“This funding will help further embed music in the heart of our city and offer a platform for all who contribute to its world-beating calibre”

Last October, the council announced a £5.9 million investment to deliver the city’s “biggest ever cultural and creative celebration” across a months-long initiative this year, generating over 200 events, workshops, and activities through November.

The Belfast 2024 programme, described by former lord mayor Michael Long as a “game-changer”, was designed to boost both local and international tourism.

This programming includes the UNESCO City of Music Day, set for 9 November, which will feature artists from fellow music city Kansas City, as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.

“With this £400,000 investment, we’re focused on creating real opportunities for independent artists, venues and initiatives across all genres,” says Brian Coney, Belfast Region Music Board member. “The support for grassroots talent, alongside larger projects, demonstrates how seriously we take Belfast’s rich musical heritage and its future.”

“This funding will help further embed music in the heart of our city and offer a platform for all who contribute to its world-beating calibre.”

IQ dug into the music scene of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic in our latest market feature, as part of the latest edition of IQ.

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Bruce Springsteen will have played to one million fans in Ireland over the course of his career by the end of his latest tour, according to promoter Peter Aiken.

The Boss brings his world tour to Belfast’s Boucher Road in Northern Ireland on 9 May, followed by shows in Ireland at Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park (12 May), Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork (16 May) and Dublin’s Croke Park (19 May).

“One million people in Ireland will have been to see him. It’s phenomenal,” the Aiken Promotions chief tells PA, as per Yahoo! News.

Aiken says that very few artists have sold one million tickets in Ireland, north and south of the border, and suggests that younger generations discovering Springsteen’s music are helping fuel demand for the 74-year-old’s live shows in the region.

“There’s people my age at the concerts but there’s a lot of young people who go too, it’s great”

“His youngest fanbase in the world is in Ireland. If you went to other countries it would all be people like me,” he says. “I think young people listen to him with their parents. They are in the car and then eventually they do like it. I said that to my kids when they were listening to Bob Dylan, that one day you will like it, and they do now. There’s people my age at the concerts but there’s a lot of young people who go too, it’s great. It’s just the way we are here. It will be amazing.”

The Irish Times reports that Springsteen has played 28 concerts in Ireland to date, adding that it was Aiken’s father, Jim, who invited him to perform his first Irish concert at Slane Castle in 1985.

Springsteen’s 20-plus date European stadium run with The E Street Band kicks off in the UK at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on 5 May, finishing back at London’s Wembley Stadium on 25 & 27 July. It will also take in France, Czechia, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

The global outing ranked in third place on Pollstar’s list of 2023’s highest-grossing worldwide tours, generating $379.5 million from 3.5 million ticket sales for 66 concerts. More than 1.6m tickets were sold for last year’s European leg, which included three nights in Ireland at Dublin’s RDS Arena.

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The 2023 editions of Belsonic Festival and Emerge Music Festival generated additional economic activity amounting to £30.8 million (€36m) and created almost 6,000 paid employment opportunities according to an independent report.

Belsonic, in the city’s Ormeau Park, and Emerge, held in Boucher Fields, attracted more than 200,000 paid attendees between them, with ticket holders travelling from as far away as Australia, USA & mainland Europe – further boosting the events’ impact on Northern Ireland’s tourism sector.

Economist Chris Carey conducted the study alongside live entertainment consultant Tim Chambers. They found that Belsonic, which was established in 2008 and has since become Northern Ireland’s largest live music event, generated £20.4m of additional economic activity last year, thanks in no small part to a lineup that included Lizzo, Tom Jones, Lionel Richie, George Ezra, David Guetta & Florence & The Machine.

Emerge, which launched in 2022, has quickly established itself as Ireland’s premier electronic music festival. Its 2023 two-day edition featured over 50 acts across four stages, including headliners Carl Cox, Bicep, Camelphat, and Charlotte deWitte.

“Events such as Belsonic and Emerge are considerable economic drivers providing a much needed boost for our local tourism and hospitality industry”

“These economic impact figures are startling, and clearly indicative of the broader & hugely positive economic benefit to Belfast and beyond,” says festival director Alan Simms. “Hospitality businesses, private transport, public services and many other key areas of the local economy benefit on show nights, and the local tourism industry and hotel occupancy always see a strong boost, not to mention the thousands of staff and local suppliers employed at these and our other events.

“We are delighted to see our events contribute to the local economy in such a substantial fashion both with the large summer events and the many other concerts and event we produce throughout the rest of the year.”

Welcoming the research of Carey and Chambers, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy comments, “Events such as Belsonic and Emerge are considerable economic drivers providing a much needed boost for our local tourism and hospitality industry.  Employing thousands of people each year, they also engender a feel good factor and a sense of pride that shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Promising further contribution to Belfast’s coffers, Belsonic returns to Ormeau Park in June, where headliners will be Take That, Sting, Shania Twain, Becky Hill & Limp Bizkit. Emerge, meanwhile, is promising a substantial expansion for its 2024 event, which is scheduled for 24-25 August.

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The SSE Arena in Belfast has become the first indoor arena in Europe to integrate Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, enabling checkout-free shopping.

The technology will be used in the Pay & Away shop, located on the first floor of the 11,000-capacity arena. Once open, guests will enter the store by using their chosen contactless payment method at the entry gate, with the technology then detecting what customers take from or return to the shelves and creating a virtual shopping session.

When guests finish shopping, they can leave without waiting in line, and their chosen payment method will be charged for the items taken.

Just Walk Out technology has already been rolled out in venues including TD Garden in Boston, Lumen Field in Seattle, and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

“This checkout-free concept is a radical next step in optimising the customer journey”

“Providing the best experience every time sits at the core of everything we do at The SSE Arena, Belfast and we’re continually looking at ways to enhance our offering,” says Dermot McGinn, group head of food and beverage at The Odyssey Trust.

“We’re incredibly proud to be working alongside Amazon to bring Just Walk Out technology to our venue, and becoming the first arena in Europe to introduce this checkout-free concept is a radical next step in optimising the customer journey. Through a blend of convenience and speed, the introduction of this innovative new technology will ensure that our visitors can get back to the heart of the action as soon as possible, both during events and at Belfast Giants home games.”

Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is made possible by artificial intelligence like computer vision and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to help accurately determine who took what in any retail environment, according to a press release.

The e-commerce giant built synthetic datasets to “mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of customers to ensure accuracy in any environment”.

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The economic importance of music to Northern Ireland (NI) has been underlined by a new study.

Figures published ahead of today’s (16 November) Music Cities event at Sound of Belfast and the NI Music Prize show that live music and music creators account for more than 75% of the sector’s overall gross value (GVA).

The music sector in NI contributed almost £345m to the economy in 2019 and accounted for almost 6,500 jobs. The direct music sector contributed £115 million in GVA and 3,600 jobs, having almost doubled since the last economic study in 2013.

Prior to the pandemic, concerts and festivals held in NI attracted over one million attendees each year. According to UK Music, 234,000 music tourists visited the country in 2019, generating £81m in tourist spend.

“The publication of these figures represents an important step in educating policy makers on the vital role that music plays in supporting the NI economy”

“The publication of these figures represents an important step in educating policy makers on the vital role that music plays in supporting the NI economy,” says Charlotte Dryden, CEO of Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre. “Music is more than a hobby or a ‘nice to have’; it provides jobs for thousands of employed and freelance staff across the region, from artist managers, record producers and music technology companies through to individuals working in talent development roles, as we do at Oh Yeah.

“Collectively, we are not just a rich community asset, but an economic keystone. At our Music Cities afternoon and the NI Music Prize, we will be celebrating all of those who work in our sector, including the behind-the-scenes champions of creativity and innovation.”

The research, which does not take into account Covid’s impact on the sector, was commissioned by communications firm Fourth Pillar and supported by Northern Ireland Screen with funding provided by the Department for Communities. The research was independently conducted by economists Metro Dynamics.

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Music venues and theatres in Northern Ireland (NI) are permitted to reopen as of 6 pm BST tonight, under the latest relaxations of Stormont’s Covid-19 rules.

Live music will be permitted for rehearsals and performances, with no restriction on background or ambient volume levels.

However, audience members must purchase tickets in advance, have allocated seating, and adhere to a one-metre social distancing rule.

Venues were expected to reopen on 26 July but minsters want more time to consider the health implications. Outdoor events were permitted to return on 5 July without capacity restrictions.

Belfast singer-songwriter Sir Van Morrison, who legally challenged the Northern Irish government over its ‘blanket ban’ on live music in licensed venues, described the announcement as “a kick in the teeth”.

Morrison last week cancelled a number of concerts at Belfast’s Ulster Hall (cap. 1,000), due to take place between 29 July and 1 August, blaming the “draconian” delays from Stormont. He now argues that cancelled concerts that were planned for this week could’ve gone ahead.

“We are delighted  that  we can  finally reopen  to  welcome artists and fans  back…nothing beats the experience of a live event”

Others in the Northern Ireland live music industry have welcomed Stormont’s latest rollback of restrictions. Julia Corkey, chief executive at Ulster Hall, says: “We are delighted that we can finally reopen to welcome artists and fans back to the iconic Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall. As we all know, nothing beats the experience of a live event.”

Limelight Belfast wrote on Facebook: “Great news for live music venues and theatres.”

In preparation for the next stage of reopening, two major concert series in Belfast have set out entry conditions, which the organisers say are based on the findings of the range of ERP (Event Research Programme) pilot events.

The Belsonic concerts at Ormeau Park and CHSQ at Custom House Square, will both require ticket holders to show proof of having had either, both doses of the vaccine, proof of a negative Covid test 48 hours before arrival or proof of natural Covid antibodies.

Belsonic will take place between 4-25 September with Liam Gallagher, Dermot Kennedy and Gerry Cinnamon. CHSQ will take place between 10-29 August with artists including Tom Jones, Kodaline, Nile Rogers & Chic.

The rules for entrance to the music events are similar to those employed by the organisers of the Latitude festival in England, held at full capacity at the weekend as a government test event.

The British live music industry fully reopened without restrictions from 19 July. On the same day, Scotland reduced restrictions to the lowest level and plans to remove all restrictions on 9 August.

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Scottish music venues struggling under the weight of restrictions on live events are being further penalised by a draconian ban on all background music, according to the owners of nightlife businesses.

The devolved Scottish government introduced the ban on 14 August, citing an increased risk of Covid-19 transmission when people raise their voices to be heard in venues, pubs and restaurants. However, the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) – which says it believes the ban to be unique in the world, with Scotland the only country to have completely outlawed background music – says the ban lacks scientific evidence and is placing extra pressure on already strained businesses.

Promoter Donald Macleod, of Holdfast Events, says: “The sound of silence is now killing much of Scotland’s hospitality sector and beleaguered night-time economy; don’t let that be our nation’s Covid legacy. In the words of Plato: ‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.’”

“The background music ban is the kiss of death to ambience within the hospitality sector,” agrees Andrew Fleming Brown, managing director of Glasgow venue SWG3 (4,000-cap.). “There has not been any scientific evidence presented to support the ban, and, in fact, the only evidence indicates it has the reverse effect.”

In response to the ban – which also extends to the sound of televisions in pubs – the NTIA has announced a campaign, #DontStopTheMusic, which calls on supporters to share their favourite song of all time along with the #DontStopTheMusic hashtag.

“Our already damaged sector is in serious danger of being permanently wiped out”

Michael Grieve, chairman of NTIA Scotland, comments: “The total ban on background music is having a severe effect on many hospitality businesses, leading to completely sterile environments which some have likened to visiting a library.

“It seems completely disproportionate relative to other settings – and while our industry is totally committed to the serious public health imperatives which the Scottish government is focused on, our already damaged sector is in serious danger of being permanently wiped out unless this ban is removed.”

Like in the rest of Great Britain, pubs, clubs and other indoor spaces are Scotland are currently subject to a 10pm curfew, with only concert venues and theatres exempt if a performance has already started.

Elsewhere in the UK, authorities in Northern Ireland have confirmed that new restrictions introduced on 23 September include a total ban on live music.

In a summary of the new legal requirements for venues where alcohol is served, the Northern Irish tourist board, in a section on ‘entertainment and noise’, reveals that live music is “not permitted”, along with recorded music “for the purposes of dancing (ie DJs)”.

Recorded background music is still allowed in the country, though businesses are required to ensure they keep background music and televised sport at a volume where patrons do not need to raise their voices to speak.

“We call for the government to engage with our sector before imposing seemingly arbitrary decisions on an already struggling industry”

Northern Ireland does, however, have a slightly later curfew for hospitality businesses than in Great Britain: 11pm, as opposed to ten.

Colin Neill from industry group Hospitality Ulster describes the announcement today of a curfew as “another blow to our industry”.

“The sector is going to lose hours, it’s losing staff and it has lost live music, and needs to be given a fighting chance,” he says.

Alan Simms, founder of legendary dance music brand Shine and director of Belfast venue Limelight, says he has seen “no medical, scientific or behavioural evidence in favour of such curfews”, and that ejecting patrons at 11pm will push them “out of safe premises with social distancing measures into the streets en masse, and drive substantially higher footfall to unregulated environments, as has been observed in England at the weekend.”

“Furthermore, we believe we can deliver, and have already delivered, live music events safely within government guidelines, and call for the [Northern Ireland] Executive to engage with our sector before imposing seemingly arbitrary decisions on an already struggling industry,” he adds.

Along with their colleagues in England, Wales and Scotland, Northern Irish crew and touring staff took to the streets in recent days as part of the #WeMakeEvents campaign.

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In August 2016, Kayla Hanna was queueing up at the Belfast Vital festival (formerly Tennent’s Vital) ready to see Red Hot Chili Peppers when a member of staff from security company Eventsec told her she wasn’t allowed to bring in her bottle of Lucozade.

As a type-1 diabetic, Hanna uses the energy drink to boost her blood sugar levels if they dip too low. After explaining this to security staff and showing them the tattoo on her wrist that also indicated her diabetic status, a security guard continued to refuse her entry with the drink, saying “anyone could have that [tattoo]”. Speaking about the encounter, Hanna says: “I also showed her my insulin pack and the meter used to check my levels.

“She consulted with another guard and they insisted that they had a strict policy and they would not allow me to bring the drink inside.”

After reluctantly giving up the drink, the following concert was filled with anxiety for the student. She says: “I was very anxious and upset throughout the concert. I was afraid something would happen to me and I would not have the Lucozade.”

After the incident, Hanna contacted the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, who brought her case before Belfast County Court, alleging a breach of the Disability Discrimination Act. The findings of the court stated that Eventsec had not made adequate adjustments to their security policy to allow Hanna to bring in the necessary drink.

A security guard continued to refuse her entry with the drink, saying “anyone could have that tattoo”

The news of Hanna’s compensation comes at a time when security policies at concerts and festivals are becoming tighter and tighter. Around the world, venue owners and operators are responding to heightened terror levels and threats. The concern for many, however, is that these measures will impact disabled people like Kayla Hanna negatively.

Mary Kitson, senior legal officer at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, has highlighted the need for consideration of the Disability Discrimination Act in the face of increased measures. She says: “These are the kind of circumstances in which the reasonable adjustment provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act can be most beneficial.

“They are in the act to ensure that people with disabilities are not denied access to services by reason of general policies which can, in themselves, be otherwise justifiable and necessary.”

An Eventsec spokesperson says it was welcomed the judge’s decision, in which they acknowledged the company had “considered what reasonable adjustments needed to be put in place in order to meet the needs of those patrons with diabetes”. “The facts surrounding this case were an isolated incident,” they add.

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