Musicians’ census aims to ‘kickstart industry change’

A project to generate the first ever comprehensive picture of the UK’s music-making population and drive change within the industry has launched.

The census, being run by Help Musicians and the Musicians’ Union, aims to map the total population of musicians and build a picture of what their lives and careers are like in order to develop a deeper understanding of the community within the UK.

Data will be gathered on demography, diversity, health and wellbeing, and the breadth of working patterns and income, with plans to repeat it every three to five years.

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Key findings will be shared with partner charities and music industry bodies. It is hoped the information will help organisations plan how best to represent, advocate for and support musicians in future years, building a stronger and more inclusive industry.

Naomi Pohl, Musicians’ Union General Secretary, said the landscape for musicians has changed significantly in recent years.

"Without quality data and representative insights, it’s difficult to understand what today’s musicians really need and how we can help," she said.

Pohl added that while there are an estimated 37,000 musicians in the UK – more than 32,000 of which are members of the Musicians’ Union – more can be done to understand the holistic picture in relation to demographics and backgrounds.

"This is why we need the Musicians’ Census – to learn more about the community so we can build a better industry, one that’s inclusive, accessible and fair to all," she said.

Sarah Woods, Deputy Chief Executive at Help Musicians said that although her organisation has been working for more than 100 years to make a meaningful difference to the lives of musicians across the UK, there has never been a comprehensive picture of the total population of musicians.

"Without this insight we are unable to ensure our support is as impactful as it can be," she said.

“With the Musicians’ Union, we developed this project to ensure that the future design of our services and support initiatives is truly built upon a detailed and factual understanding of the lives and careers of all those we seek to serve.

"[By] working collaboratively with others within the industry to track trends we will all better understand and shape a world where musicians can thrive in the decades to come.”