Joe GallopLive music industry umbrella group, LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment) has unveiled the first wave of partners for its online workshop programme, LIVE Talks.
AEG, Kilimanjaro Live, Live Nation, Serious and SJM have been announced as partners for the series of workshops, which focus on equality, diversity, inclusion, sustainability and wellbeing.
The free-to-access programme launched in June 2022, with its first workshop in partnership with Black Lives in Music on Race and Ethnicity language. The session saw more than 200 people from across the sector join to learn about building inclusive communities, the use of correct language and allyship.
Since then, LIVE Talks has hosted several organisations that have delivered sessions on subjects such as misogyny and sexual harassment in the music industry, managing stress and resilience on tour, addiction and supporting recovery and trans education and inclusion in the music industry.
Future talks will cover topics such as mental health first aid, LGBTQIA+ allyship, the language of sustainability, gender equality across event programming and self-care peer support for backstage workers post-festival season.
Kilimanjaro Live promoter and director Steve Tilley said, ‘’We are proud to have played a part in what LIVE achieved for the industry during Covid and are delighted to be able to support these talks as a committed partner. They address significant challenges that we still face and I look forward to seeing what positive changes they could bring. I’d encourage everyone to log in to these talks and other LIVE members to step up and support them if they can afford to.’’
LIVE head of partnerships and the LIVE Talks programme lead, Gaby Cartwright, said, “We are thrilled to see the industry coming together to support this key initiative which brings much needed focus and expert insight to often complex and challenging subjects. We truly believe at LIVE that if we support our people and give them access to best in class tools and information, our industry will be a better place to work for all in the future.”
LIVE Talks workshop partners so far have included Black Lives in Music, Safer Dance, AFEM, Music Industry Therapist Collective, Music Support and Saskhia Menendez.
The next Live Talk is on ‘Mental Health First Aid and the Music Industry’, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, hosted by Music Support senior learning and development specialist Norman Beecher.