TURN IT UP
Our Plan for Music
““Music is our shared language. It brings people together, breaks down barriers and gives voice to every community. At a time when too many people feel disconnected, music has never mattered more.
“As the song says, 'Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.' But pop is getting posher, and that must change. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. After a decade of mindless vandalism that stripped culture and creativity from too many classrooms and communities, we are putting music back at the heart of education, investing in creative careers and backing grassroots music across the country.
“We believe music belongs to everyone, not just the privileged few. That's how we widen opportunity, strengthen our communities and ensure the UK's incredible fans and extraordinary musical talent continues to inspire the world for generations to come."
UK music tells our stories - it is the sound of who we are and how we are heard around the world. For musicians, music professionals, music businesses and music lovers; Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music will help create the conditions to ensure that the UK remains the best place in the world to create, experience and invest in music.
Music is one of the UK’s defining strengths - it is an economic and soft power engine, and a core growth sector for this government, as recognised within our Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan. Creating £8 billion of economic value in the UK, supporting 220,000 jobs, and accounting for one in every twelve streams worldwide, the UK’s music sector has both national and global significance. The sector faces challenges, particularly at the grassroots level, and this Plan outlines how government and industry will work together to break down barriers and enable the sector to seize its opportunities.
We are directly backing thousands of grassroots projects, tens of thousands of artists and businesses, and millions of children in their musical education. And we are appointing Michael Dugher as our Music Champion, who will strengthen connections between government and the music sector across the country. In doing so, we will support a sector that is rewarding for creators from all backgrounds, accessible for fans across the country, and at the heart of a resilient and thriving economy.
You can read the full Music Plan here for the full set of actions and opportunities.
1. Investment
Supporting the sector’s foundations, and seizing its growth opportunities
- Music Growth Package: Supporting over 2,000 projects and 40,000 artists and professionals with £45 million over three years. Expanding the previous Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, support will continue for grassroots venues and clubs, recording and rehearsal studios, festivals and promoters. And for the first time, funding will support creators, managers, independent labels, and publishers.
- Grassroots infrastructure: Government strongly backing the industry-led £1 voluntary ticket contribution but highlighting the need to go further.
2. Education and skills
Nurturing young people’s creativity and the workforce of the future
- Improving the curriculum: Reforming the National Curriculum from September 2028 to establish a stronger foundation for quality music education.
- £13 million National Centre for Arts and Music Education launching in September 2026 to oversee the implementation of the revised curriculum, ensuring schools can deliver high-quality art and music provision.
- Transforming the apprenticeships levy and roadmap for talent development, including through a reformed Growth and Skills Levy and a Creative Industries Jobs Plan to be published later this year.
3. Enrichment and access
Broadening access to careers, musical opportunities, and engagement for all young people
- Dismantling barriers through a £22.5 million Enrichment Framework to fund youth voice-led cultural activities in England's most deprived areas.
- Championing our youth: £132.5 million for disadvantaged youth, including £12.5 million for music in libraries and £10 million for creative mentoring for care experienced young people. In addition, we’re providing new support for careers education, traineeships and pathways into the sector.
4. Creative workforce
Empowering creators and securing futures
- Music streaming remuneration: new label-led Music Streaming Principles, which labels estimate will drive tens of millions of pounds into the pockets of creators by 2030, and a new monitoring framework to make sure they deliver.
- Workforce protections: New Creative Freelance Champions to represent the self-employed. Legal bans on Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in harassment cases, an enforcement crackdown on unpaid internships, and whistleblower protection via the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA).
5. Innovation
Unleashing the power of the UK’s cutting-edge creativity
- AI policy and copyright: launching a summer consultation on "digital replicas" to address unauthorised synthesis of artists' voice and likeness, and establishing a taskforce for AI content labelling standards.
- R&D: Increased funding for innovation through UKRI’s record £500 million creative R&D package, building national infrastructure and growing regional innovation clusters (such as Liverpool's MusicFutures).
6. Place
Strengthening music infrastructure and opportunity nationwide
- Regional growth: Empowering regions through DCMS's £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund, devolving funding directly to six high-growth Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
- Backing our high streets: Recognising the role of music in driving footfall and supporting high streets, with a High Street Strategy to be published later this year, accompanied by a £301 million High Street Innovation Partnerships fund to revive struggling high streets.
- Leveraging music tourism which generated £11.2 billion in 2025.
7. Backing Business
Lowering barriers, simplifying processes and supporting music businesses of all sizes
- Business rates relief: 15% business rates relief and subsequent two-year freeze for live music venues through to 2028/29.
- Protecting existing music venues: Strengthening the "Agent of Change" planning principle to protect existing venues from noise complaints.
- Addressing licensing barriers by increasing Temporary Event Notices from 15 to 20 per year, event days from 21 to 26, and a minimum 5-year licenses for established festivals.
8. Trade and Exports
Strengthening partnerships, reach and impact
- Export support: 50% more funding for music trade missions led by the Department for Business and Trade.
- Music Growth Package (£45m) including dedicated programmes to help grassroots talent and businesses launch and scale globally.
- EU barriers: engaging with the European Commission and Member States on benefits of cultural exchange, working with the industry’s Cultural Exchange Coalition, and modernising cross-border infrastructure including roll-out of digital eATA Carnets.
9. Fans
Helping everyone access and enjoy our world-leading music sector
- Tackling ticketing touts: legislating to protect consumers by banning ticket resale above original face value, capping platform service fees, and applying robust financial penalties for non-compliance.
- Safety: working with industry to ensure Martyn's Law improves venue safety preparedness.
- Improving accessibility: setting universal accessibility booking standards for disabled, deaf and neurodivergent fans through the 'All In' accessibility scheme.
10. Social & environmental impact
Harnessing the power of music as a force for good
- Building evidence of the social value of music via the Culture and Heritage Capital Programme.
- Celebrating and supporting music’s impact on physical and mental health, through Arts Council England and industry initiatives.
- Moving towards Net Zero through industry and government partnership, and championing sector initiatives such as the Green Events Code of Practice and the Music Climate Pact.
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