News

Ken Livingstone Sets Out Plans For London Music Industry Festival

• 15th Aug 2010

Ken Livingstone has launched a series of new measures to support the capital’s music industry and protect London’s live music venues today.

A new policy document published today, Ken4Music, includes commitments to:
• Work with venues across the city and the international music industry to create a London-wide music festival/expo
• Incorporate protection of live music venues into the Mayor’s planning strategy – the London Plan for the first time
• Create a forum to ensure better lines of communication between local authorities, the mayor, and the music industry.

The UK is the third biggest music market in the world after the USA and Japan, and the music industry is worth £3.6bn in 2008. A study by Camden Council concluded that the night time economy was between £70 million and £120millionwith at least 20% being attributed to music venues and nightclubs.

Austin city council conservatively estimated its music expo SXSW 2008 to have had an economic impact of around $110m to the Austin economy
Ken met musicians and members of the capital’s music industry at the Electric Ballroom, Camden, including Kate Fuller (Manager of the Electric Ballroom), Carl Gosling (Heavenly), singer-songwriter Emmy the Great, and Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne)

Ken said:
“London’s music scene is as much part of the capital’s life blood as the buses and trains that take millions to gigs, concerts and festivals in the capital each year.

“I want London to host a regular music festival, taking the example of the successful Austin, Texas South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, which generates millions for the local economy and provides a focus for music nationally and internationally.

“As well as playing host to signed and unsigned acts representing the multitude of music genres heard around the city, the London Music Festival will be a tool for musicians and the people they work with to develop their careers, and bring together people from a wide area to meet and share ideas.
“I believe the Mayor of London must be passionate in backing live music and today I’m setting out some new ideas that will ensure that long term future of live music in the capital.

“I want the protection of live music venues to be part of the Mayor’s strategy and I am setting out details today of how that would be delivered.”

Dave Okumu (The Invisible, Mercury Nominated in 2009) said:
“As a musician living and working in London, I am deeply conscious of what a significant role live music plays in enriching the cultural life of this city.

“Yet the last few years have born witness to a disturbing trend whereby venues are struggling to sustain themselves and are often toiling away under threat of closure. This is completely at odds with people’s thirst for, and appreciation of, live music.

“There has been a conspicuous absence of policy which directly and positively impacts the sustainability and growth of live music in the capital. I therefore advocate any shift towards genuine and practical support for live music.”

Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne) said:
“This is a really great initiative from Ken. A European-based musical festival inspired by South by Southwest (SXSW) is what we need in London. I’d really love to see it happen.”

Emmy the Great said:
“The launch of Ken’s music manifesto reaffirms my decision to travel 16 hours to and from recording in Glasgow just to vote for Ken in 2008. As a Londoner, I always trusted that he had the best interests of me and my city in mind, and now I know he also has the best interests of the vital and struggling music industry in mind as well.

“Music is a vital source of economic and cultural strength for London. It’s cheering to see, in this age of cuts, a potential mayor who recognises the tangible benefits to society of creativity, and seeks practical, workable solutions to foster it.

“Opening and maintaining dialogue between musicians and legislators sends a message of affirmation to artists which will encourage them to use their creativity for civic good, and especially exciting are the plans for the city-wide expo, which will keep our city and our music industry a key focus point of relevance on an international scale. I’m greatly encouraged by it all. Thanks Ken!”