Don’t sack the DJ: Group urges government to protect electronic music
An industry body has called on the government to recognise the power of electronic music in reshaping and revitalising the UK’s struggling nightlife.
A slightly unlikely poster child of the UK’s creative industry, electronic music contributed £2.4bn to the UK economy last year, with £646.1m of that from festival revenues.
Leading the charge not only in festivals but in nightclubs and ticket sales, UK electronic music is nonetheless more celebrated abroad than at home, according to the Night Time Industry Association (NTIA).
“Despite its undeniable impact, electronic music has often been overlooked in discussions of cultural policy and industry representation,” CEO of Night Time Industries Association Michael Kill said. “Now is the time to elevate, empower, and protect electronic music as a cornerstone of Britain’s creative and night-time economy.”
The nightclub scene in the UK is undeniably under threat. There has been a 32.7 per cent decline in nightlife since 2020 amid what is seen as a “deeply fragile” state of recovery.
“We’ve already lost hundreds of businesses across the night time economy, who are struggling with unsustainable cost increases, including soaring energy prices and significant increases in wages, NICs, and duties,” Kill said.
“The long term strategy rhetoric is important, but there must be a recognition and consideration for the immediate challenges, which are substantial, as we risk further closures and job losses. This environment for many is unsustainable.”
Earlier this week, Sadiq Khan launched a new independent Nightlife Taskforce to help support the capital’s after-dark destinations, bringing together experts to examine and address the issues facing the sector over the next six months.
The NTIA thinks electronic music is a core part of the solution to the capital and country’s problems, with “extraordinary resilience and innovation” in the ecosystem, the body said.
It said education, policy reform, and “targeted financial relief for grassroots venues” were essential to make the most of the opportunity to preserve and boost the UK’s “unique industry”.
Describing electronic music as a “formidable pillar” of the creative economy, CEO of Defected Records Wez Saudners added his goal was “to advocate for sustained support and investment in a sector that not only entertains but educates, influences, and inspires”.
“In an increasingly online-driven world, the physical experience of electronic music—the energy, the shared moments, and the sense of community—has never felt more precious,” Duncan King, head of festivals & B2B partnerships at Skiddle said.
“It’s in these moments that the true magic happens, reminding us why this culture will always thrive.”