When we talk about event cancellations in live music, the immediate conversation usually centres on lost revenues or disappointed fans. But there’s a less visible story that we urgently need to address – particularly when it comes to Black & Asian-led events: the issue of over-policing and discriminatory licensing practices. These aren’t abstract concerns; they’re real-world obstacles limiting opportunities for Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse artists, promoters, venue owners, anyone who works in live music, affecting their careers, cultural impact, and ultimately, the economic health of our industry.

At Black Lives in Music (BLiM), I’ve personally seen countless examples where events led by Black promoters or predominantly featuring Black audiences receive disproportionate scrutiny from police and local licensing authorities. It’s not just about a single cancelled event; it’s about systemic biases affecting an entire community and genre of music.

Earlier this year, I testified at the London Assembly about these ongoing barriers. I emphasised the glaring lack of transparency in licensing decisions. Many promoters/venue managers are left in the dark as to why their events were denied. This lack of clarity doesn’t just frustrate, it actively reinforces inequality. Black and Asian music genres – Afrobeats, Bollywood, drill, gospel, etc – often labelled as non-traditional suffer significantly more scrutiny than other genres.

Too often, we see events stopped based on vague claims about “public safety”

One particularly stark example was an Afrobeats event in 2023 that faced heavy-handed policing and was ultimately shut down. Too often, we see events stopped based on vague claims about “public safety.” Yet this term frequently serves as a blanket justification to shut down conversations, not address actual safety concerns. Adding complexity is the fact that many Black promoters and artists unknowingly end up on controversial watchlists, like the Gangs Matrix, heightening fear and uncertainty when securing venues.

The shadow of Form 696 (abolished in 2017) still looms large, continuing to influence discriminatory licensing decisions. Venues frequently make risk assessments based on outdated or unfounded stereotypes tied to specific genres. When a negative story hits the media, venues stop booking Black artists while continuing to support white artists of the same genre. This double standard creates further barriers, not due to genuine risk but due to ingrained bias.

For those operating internationally, understanding the UK context is crucial. While London, Birmingham, and Manchester might have vibrant multicultural music scenes, promoters from these cities repeatedly share frustrations about discriminatory licensing practices. International counterparts might wonder how this applies elsewhere – well, racial profiling and policing bias- es are not exclusive to the UK; they surface wherever events celebrating Black and minority cultures are staged.

There’s a very real chilling effect on the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit within the Black music community

Significant research by the University of Wisconsin, in partnership with the Urban Community Arts Network, led by Karen Reece, has shed light on over-policing at Black music events in the US. Their ground-breaking study analysed police responses at numerous venues and directly challenged widespread stereotypes unfairly linking hip-hop events with violence. Reece, now part of the REMEL Research Steering Committee, has helped adapt this research framework for London, ensuring that the UK’s approach benefits from international insights and proven
methods to tackle racial biases in licensing.

The consequences of these discriminatory practices run deeper than cancelled events. There’s a very real chilling effect on the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit within the Black music community. Promoters and artists become wary of organising events, fearing financial loss, reputational damage, or increased surveillance. This stifles cultural expression and prevents diverse artists from reaching broader audiences.

BLiM has partnered with The Musicians’ Union, LIVE, the Mayor of London, and other stakeholders to launch The REMEL Project and investigate discriminatory licensing practices, gather data, and create recommendations to ensure transparency and fairness. I urge everyone to support this work by participating in REMEL’s survey. It’s time we acknowledged that cancelling an event due to unfair policing isn’t just business as usual – it’s an erosion of cultural diversity and industry equity. Let’s commit to dismantling these barriers, promoting diverse musical cultures, and ensuring our industry truly reflects the creativity and diversity it celebrates. Take the survey: https://blim.org.uk/change

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Genevieve O’Neil, former director of diversity and inclusion at Live Nation, has joined the team behind InChorus, a third-party platform used to track incidents of bias and harassment in the workplace.

O’Neil joins London and New York-based InChorus Group as chief marketing officer. The company’s platform aims to de-escalate reporting for employees, allowing users to anonymously tag and measure incidents in the workplace.

The platform also provides companies with the data needed to build a more inclusive workplace.

“I, like many, am frustrated by the pace of change, but our industry is unfortunately one playing catch up,” comments O’Neil, who says she is “thrilled” to join the InChorus team.

According to InChorus Group, the online tool acts as the ‘missing middle’ when reporting microaggressions, giving employees a safe and informal way to tag “previously hard-to-voice problem-behaviours”.

“We are in desperate need of a user friendly, data-led tool such as this to get things moving in the right direction”

The platform offers on-demand professional support to employees and provides companies access to anonymised data, allowing employers to identify problems at an earlier stage and attempt to avoid more serious misconduct.

“We are in desperate need of a user friendly, data-led tool such as this to get things moving in the right direction. This online tool is ideal for all companies, those already on the path to an inclusive workplace, and those just starting out,” says O’Neil.

“Diversity and inclusion leadership starts at the top, and so I ask industry leaders to stop just thinking about it and start acting.”

Rosie Turner, co-chief executive of InChorus Group says that she, along with fellow co-chief executive Raj Ramanandi, is “passionate about giving employees a voice and allowing them to flag issues sooner before they escalate.”

“This data has the power to drive effective change for both employees and the business, and to create a baseline for the music industry as a whole,” states Turner.

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