A new Black Lives in Music report says Black and South Asian music events across London are treated unfairly by the licensing system. The findings come from the Race Equality in Music Event Licensing initiative, known as REMEL, which launched in July 2023 and published its results this week. The report, covered by Festival Insights, describes systemic racial bias in how events from these communities are licensed and policed.

At a glance

  • REMEL was set up after the Musicians' Union and Black Lives in Music wrote jointly to London Mayor Sadiq Khan asking for action on closures of Black events.
  • The initiative brings together the Greater London Authority, the Metropolitan Police Service, UK Music, LIVE, the Musicians' Union and a network of artists, promoters, venue operators and community representatives.
  • Evidence came from surveys, focus groups, freedom of information requests, stakeholder workshops, interviews and desk research.
  • Genres including drill, grime, dancehall and Afrobeats are routinely labelled as high risk by authorities, according to the report.

What the report found

Black and South Asian promoters, artists and venue owners told researchers they face excessive security demands and intense scrutiny because of their background or the music they put on. The report says licensing authorities often lean on crime statistics for a whole area to justify refusing a licence or shutting a venue. That happens even when the venue itself has a clean safety record.

South Asian events were more likely to be approved, but often with strings attached. Organisers reported reduced hours and extra conditions covering CCTV, capacity, dispersal plans and limits on operating and entertainment times.

The report also looks at how incidents at Black-led events, including Notting Hill Carnival, are framed in the media. It compares the volume of negative headlines and the heavier policing, including live facial recognition, with the treatment of white-led events.

How the research was done

REMEL says the project struggled with limited access to official data, and some public bodies refused to hand over information. Despite that, the team says it did everything it could to make sure the findings hold up. The stated goal of the initiative is to dismantle unfair barriers in the music licensing system.

What Black Lives in Music says

Charisse Beaumont, chief executive of Black Lives in Music, said licensing shapes every layer of the music world. She pointed to the young artist chasing a first gig, the promoter building a platform for new talent and the local venue that brings life to its community. In her view, licensing decisions driven by racial bias and overpolicing end up suffocating creativity, holding back entrepreneurs and blocking economic opportunity.

Why it matters

Licensing decisions rarely make headlines, but they decide which nights happen and which do not. If whole genres are tagged as risky before a single ticket is sold, the promoters and DJs behind them start at a disadvantage. For London's dance music scene, that affects far more than a handful of events.

The report puts documented evidence behind complaints that promoters have raised for years. With the Greater London Authority and the Met Police both involved in the initiative, the next test is whether its findings change how licences are granted. In the meantime, you can browse upcoming club events on RaveConnects, including fabric x Loud Contact at ADE.

Source: Festival Insights. Photo: Zachary DeBottis on Pexels.