Diversity in the music industry is a hot topic, especially when you take a look at how the music business is going to evolve over the next many years. For some it is the most natural aspect if you work in music while for others it is still something that you would rather not talk about.
At SPOT we have chosen to take part in a more diverse music business – more precisely we have signed a Keychange Pledge to promote and work for more gender representation.
Keychange is a new global network and a movement which works towards a total reconstruction of the music industry where the goal is to achieve balance in gender representation. With founding partners like our festival colleagues at ReeperBahn Festival, and PRS Foundation and Musikcentrum Öst, Keychange wants to create a better and more inclusive music industry for the current and future generations. According to Keychange Pledge coordinator, Francine Gorman, the change must accelerate as a result of the Keychange work that amongst others consists of a talent program and the Keychange Pledges – a pledge to contribute positively to the change.
In SPOT we have seen an organic change in the recent years when it comes to gender balance, especially in the artists that apply throughout our application round and that is a change that we want to support even more. That is why you’ll now find SPOT Festival amongst the Keychange Pledges – a group that only grows bigger.
According to SPOTs leader, Gunnar K. Madsen, there wasn’t much to think about when presented with the opportunity to become a Keychange Pledge.
“For SPOT it is important to support initiatives that we trust have a positive impact and which can strengthen the diversity in the music business in a constructive way. At SPOT there has always been quite much diversity in our repertoire – maybe because we aren’t a commercial gatekeeper and because we always have seen artistic renewal and diversity as a core purpose in our communication and work”, tells Gunnar K. Madsen.
Keychange is an important initiative, a useful tool and a movement that must be supported. As a part of the 500 current pledges of festivals and organisations, we look forward at SPOT to contribute even more positively to the changes to come and see what Keychange can do for the music industry as a whole.