End of The Road MD among festival reps questioned by MPS on gender balance and sexual harassment

End of The Road festival MD Lauren Down and Primavera Sound head of international press and PR Marta Pallarès Olivares are among those to be questioned by MPS on women’s safety at live music events and the gender balance of festival line-ups.

Taking place on 24 May at the Palace of Westminster, the fourth session of the Women and Equalities Committee’s Misogyny in Music inquiry will also involve John Shortell, head of equality, diversity and inclusion at the Musician’s Union.

More than 40% of women under 40 who have attended festivals have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour, according to YouGov research. The Committee said it has received written evidence from individuals working in the industry, including one highlighting a poor experience of reporting harassment at an event.

The BBC found that last year only one in ten headliners were female at the UK’s top music festivals. Primavera Sound in Barcelona was the first major festival to achieve a 50/50 gender balanced line-up in 2019.

The Women and Equalities Committee is chaired by Caroline Nokes. MP for Romsey and Southampton North.

The session will take place at 2.30pm and will be available to watch live on Parliament TV.