Christopher BarrettLIVE, which represents 15 live music industry associations, has appointment Ross Patel as its first LIVE Green impact consultant. Patel tells Access about the organisation’s climate action priorities, including introducing an industry-wide green rider and green clauses.
Working closely with LIVE CEO Jon Collins, Patel is tasked with leading the initiatives of LIVE Green, the organisation’s sustainability group, through facilitating cooperation across the organisation’s membership.
An experienced industry professional who founded Whole Entertainment, an artist and label management company, and remains a talent manager while being on the board of the Music Managers Forum (MMF), Patel has a track record of being an advocate for climate action and launching sustainability initiatives.
What made you want to take on the role at LIVE Green and how important do you feel it is?
I have been a representative of MMF within LIVE Green. Some of my participation in that group has been core to what I’m going to be working on now in the official role. Whereas before I was just a contributor, now I get to lead on some of those projects along with LIVE Green chair Carol [Scott].
What are your priorities?
The green clause work we’ve been doing feels like a real silver bullet in changing culture around having sustainability in the live music industry. I’ve been able to take that into the MMF board meetings and get approval. We now also have both the major agencies agreeing it is a priority. The next phase is to put a date in the diary, issue a press release, and establish who wants to take control of it and make sure it’s being adopted.
Who is supporting the green clause and what does that involve?
It involves a very wide stakeholder group that’s been participating in developing it. We’ve got the managers, agents, promoters, booking agencies, the Music Venue Trust; lots of people operating in the space who can bring their own perspective and ensure that it’s being seen. Attitude Is Everything has oversight of it, and we are really trying to make it as inclusive as possible.
Parallel to the green clauses, we are focused on the creation of an industry-wide green rider. The green clauses go into the booking contracts, with a robust ask. So, when someone sends out their booking contract with green clauses, it will be accompanied by a standardised green rider that will provide roadmaps on how to achieve certain sustainable goals and links to resources and toolkits developed within the industry.
Why is a standardised green rider important?
There are lots of green riders that exist, but there isn’t one template that people can adopt, and that’s very easy to access. We will ask everyone who has a green rider to submit it, and we’ll then work with stakeholders to create a universal one.
I understand you are also developing a resource hub?
LIVE is developing the resource hub on the new website that’s currently being built. It will be a home for toolkits across all the LIVE membership. There will be a LIVE Green section including the green clause template, the universal rider and any other relevant toolkits to help people achieve those goals. We understand it is an ongoing process and this is just the beginning, but if we can continue to develop it over time we’ll be in a really good place.