Musicians struggle to make a living

More than half of professional musicians get paid less than £20,000, and 60% have worked for free over the past year, says a new report commissioned by the Musicians’ Union (MU). Music has been left out of the Government’s £6m boost to creative industries announced in the Autumn Statement, and John Smith, MU General Secretary, said: “So many of the MU’s members are SMEs battling against a tide of arts cuts and reduced income due to piracy. Small but significant investment by Government could make all the difference in the struggle to survive.”