Government tackle licensing laws and arts funding

The new Coalition Government have pledged to help out the live music sector by cutting the amount of ‘red tape’ and bureaucracy involved in licensing laws.

The Government have now set out their stall on various issues, publishing ‘The Coalition: Our Programme for Government’, outlining various plans for the cultural sector and creative industries alongside other key areas of policy.

Referring to the cultural, media and sport sectors the document states:

“We need to promote excellence in these fields, with Government funding used where appropriate to encourage philanthropic and corporate investment.”

Their pledge to essentially cut the amount of ‘red tape’ involving live music events, also contained in the document, is perhaps suggestive of an imminent review of current UK licensing laws. The Lord Clement Jones Live Music bill, proposed to the previous Labour Government urged licensing exemption for smaller music venues.

Under current laws, all venues must hold an integrated premises license for any kind of ‘regulated entertainment’, including live music performances or playing recorded music. For more information on current licensing laws, how it all affects venues and live promoters go to this section of the Generator website.

In another move relevant to the music industry, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have also committed to the rapid widespread installation of superfast broadband access across the UK.

However, DCMS also announced that as part of dramatic budgetary cuts, Arts Council England (ACE) funding will be slashed by £19 million.

In a statement, ACE chair Dame Liz Forgan said: "We all knew this year would be tough. We do not understand why we have received a higher percentage cut than other DCMS funded bodies”.

Officially addressing spending cuts this week, Prime Minister David Cameron revealed that according to current predictions, annual interest payments on UK debt will be around £70 billion in five years and therefore drastic spending cuts need to be implemented.

Have your say: Is it an opportune time for a review of the licensing laws? Do the current laws work or were there serious oversights with regard to smaller venues? What is your view on how the creative industries are going to fare under the new Government?