Liverpool Philharmonic Signs Up to PRS Foundation’s Keychange 50/50 Pledge, Taking Positive Action Towards Gender Parity in the Music Industry

Liverpool Philharmonic is one of the latest signatories to commit to the UK PRS Foundation’s global and groundbreaking Keychange 50/50. 

Originally established in 2018 with more than 180 international music festivals, signing and committing to programming gender balanced line-ups by 2022, the Keychange pledge is now open to music organisations who want to take positive action towards gender parity in the music including conservatoires, orchestras, broadcasters, concert hall, agents, label, and venues. 200+ music organisations have committed to the pledge.

Liverpool Philharmonic has committed to working to towards a 50/50 gender balance across all areas of its activities by 2022 in relation to:

• Premieres presented by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and associated ensembles (averaged over the 4 years to 2022/23 season)
• Members of the Board of Directors
• Artists promoted by Liverpool Philharmonic in its smaller scale Music Room venue at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Excluding external hires of the venue, 50% of shows presented in the venue will feature women performers in the band or ensemble, not solely lead named artists.

Other music organisations amongst the latest signatories include English National Opera, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Southbank Centre, Bella Union, De Doelen, Sage Gateshead, Ivors Academy, and the Barbican. 

Michael Eakin, Liverpool Philharmonic’s Chief Executive said: 

We know that that the gender gap is a music industry-wide challenge. We’re grateful to Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive of PRS Foundation and Founder of Keychange, who, having joined our Board of Directors in 2016, has worked closely with us to help shape our organization-wide diversity plan, and guided us in setting targets as part of our commitment to the Keychange 50/50 pledge that are relevant to our organization.

All my Liverpool Philharmonic colleagues, from the musicians in the Orchestra, to those working behind the scenes are proud that we have committed to the Keychange pledge, and a number of them have worked with Vanessa and me in setting our targets. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact across our organization and our industry, and how audiences, artists, and other music professionals will benefit too.

Please find PRS Foundation’s full press release about the Keychange 50/50 pledge here

PRESS CONTACTS

For all enquiries contact Full Fat:
Dulcie Mackechnie // 02071839525 // dulcie@wearefullfat.com

For Liverpool Philharmonic enquiries:
Millicent Jones // 0151 210 2915 // millicent.jones@liverpoolphil.com

EDITORS NOTES

About PRS Foundation
PRS Foundation is the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development. Since 2000 PRS Foundation has given more than £32 million to over 6,800 new music initiatives by awarding grants and leading partnership programmes that support music sector development. Widely respected as an adventurous and proactive funding body, PRS Foundation supports an exceptional range of new music activity – from composer residencies and commissions to a network of talent development partners and showcases in the UK and overseas.

www.prsfoundation.com | @PRSFoundation

About Keychange
Keychange is a pioneering international initiative which transforms the future of music whilst encouraging festivals and music organisations to achieve a 50:50 gender balance by 2022. 60 emerging artists and innovators from across Europe will be invited to international festivals to take part in a series of showcases, collaborations and a programme of creative labs. Backed up by an innovation fund for the network to test new projects and ideas, Keychange aims to accelerate change and create a better more inclusive music industry for present and future generations.

Keychange is led by PRS Foundation, supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, in partnership with Musikcentrum Sweden, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Tallinn Music Week, Way Out West, Liverpool Sound City and Mutek. Find out more keychange.eu