#SaveLondonMusic – An important victory for musicians

In 2012, The Music Industries Association orchestrated a campaign to address the madness enshrined in The Live Music Bill.
This bill was so poorly drafted that it threatened the livelihoods of literally hundreds of thousands of performers in all branches of the arts, affected the lives of millions of schoolchildren, spoilt the enjoyment of countless hobby musicians, and deprived audiences of a huge range of entertainment by requiring licensing for all manner of arts performances in public spaces.

The results of this inequitable legislation were as absurd as a Christmas carol concert for fifty people at the village hall requiring a licence, whilst a public house could show big screen live sport to five hundred rowdy spectators, with free flowing alcohol!
You gotta love legislators and the law of unintended consequences!
You will recall that in 2012, a significant amendment was achieved, after pressure concerted from MIA, The Musicians Union, Music UK and virtually every other body concerned with the performing arts, which allowed venues catering for audiences of up to 200 to put on performances which included live music, (amplified or unamplified), between 08:00 and 23:00 without a licence.
Continued lobbying has been working towards a further extension of licence-free audience sizes.

MORE GOOD NEWS

The extension we have all been waiting for, as of April 6th 2015 has become law.
Venues catering for audiences of up to 500 can now put on performances which include live music, (amplified or unamplified), between 08:00 and 23:00 without a licence!

This is all about a change to the Legislative Reform (Entertainment Licensing) Order 2014, with the caveat that both live and recorded music may still become licensable if the licensing authority chooses following license review.
This just shows that musicians and the music industry can mount successful campaigns that bring about change. That is why we are asking you to support our #SaveLondonMusic campaign. Now we have made it easier to stage gigs, we need to ensure we have some venues to actually hold them in!

Don’t forget to tweet all your gigs with the #SaveLondonMusic #Tag!
#SaveLondonMusic  An important victory for musicians!!!! Help make the campaign roll!