Launched today (29th March) Liberating Creativity is the latest report from UK Music, and the first ever to form a united opinion of the collective commercial music industry. The extensive report sets out seven recommendations for taking on the USA to make the UK the biggest music-producing country in the world.

The report takes the current strength of the UK’s music industry as a starting point:
· The UK is second only to the USA as a source of repertoire
· As a nation, UK consumers buy more music per capita than almost anywhere else in the world
· The UK industry is hugely diverse – 81% of music companies employ less than 5 people
· Music contributes at least £5bn annually to the economy, of which £1.3bn comes from export earnings
· Our live music is legendary. We host the world’s biggest greenfield festival, the most successful ticketed venue and a diverse – yet fragile – grassroots network of clubs, pubs and bars

Building on this foundation of strength, Liberating Creativity sets out the scale of our ambitions for the next decade, and what we need to do to get there.

It is a call to action for both Government and industry, and comes as the music industry enters a new decade characterised by greater cooperation with the technology sector, new commercial partnerships and a renewed focus on nurturing grassroots talent.

Andy Heath, Director of Beggars Group and Chairman of UK Music added: “What we call the music industry is now impressively diverse. It covers thousands of individuals and companies and what they produce impacts upon a vast range of businesses.

“However, when all’s said and done, they are founded on one thing: great music. There are challenges to be faced and we must continue to adapt with technological change, but the nurturing and investment in great musical talent has always been the UK’s strength. That talent is absolutely key to our future.”

The report addresses music’s cultural and social power, and we continue to develop both the UK’s creative talent and our future workforce. There follows recommendations on: music rehearsal rooms for young people, exemptions from licensing for small venues, education, skills and training, and public subsidies for the arts.

You can download the full report from the UK Music website