7th March 2022
Given the recent developments in Ukraine, we urge those who can to donate to support humanitarian efforts.
- Music venues in Ukraine are turning themselves into shelters and have put together a funding campaign to buy essential items. Visit Music Saves UA, a non-profit fundraising project created to provide immediate humanitarian help to those who need it most right now in Ukraine.
- DEC has launched the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, with Government pledging to match donations up to £20m.
- ICRC has launched the Ukraine Crisis Appeal to support Red Cross teams providing humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine and refugees arriving in neighbouring countries.
- UN Refugees is also upscaling its work in Ukraine and surrounding countries providing protection and humanitarian assistance.
- The Voices of Children Foundation is providing assistance to children and families in Ukraine and assisting in the evacuation process.
Also, a group of volunteer legal professionals with immigration and asylum expertise have set up the Ukraine Advice Project UK to connect Ukrainian citizens in need of free legal advice on immigration, asylum and visas with qualified and regulated lawyers.
7th February 2022
As touring begins to open up post Brexit and pandemic, many different red-tape obstacles have presented themselves! Our friends at the Musicians Union have put together this useful flow chart to help artists planning to tour Europe navigate the new requirements:
For more information and resources on this topic, visit the Musicians Union directly here
5th January 2022
Happy new year!
It’s time to put the value of music back where it belongs – in the hands of artists.
Streaming is quickly replacing radio as our main means of music listening, but the law has not kept up with the pace of technological change.
As a result, performers and songwriters are not paid fairly when their music is streamed.
Record labels, streaming platforms and other internet giants have exploited musicians and songwriters without rewarding them fairly for too long.
We are supporting the Musicians Union and The Ivors Academy to fix streaming and keep music alive. Add your signature to the petition:
30th November 2021
Our 2020 Record Store Day collaboration with Kaiser Chiefs and Amnesty International has been postponed. We are currently looking at rescheduling the concert featuring a selection of Richer Unsigned bands and Kaiser Chiefs. However, due to the new Omicron variant and cases rising, we feel that we must put the safety of the public first and so this date is most likely to be in 2023.
If you are a ticket holder for the April 2020 event and would like a refund, please contact Ticketmaster directly. We will post details about a new date once we have ascertained it is safe to put an intimate concert on.
6th July 2021
Dear musicians,
On 19th July 2021, all restrictions have been removed. Therefore, the following changes will be in place for live events:
- Live events: No limit on guests.
- Re-opening of all remaining businesses, including nightclubs.
- Relaxation of limits on live performance events, subject to success of previous steps.
Whilst these restrictions are promising for live music, please take care!
RL
3rd June 2021
Dear musicians,
We hope you are enjoying the warmer weather! In case it is useful, please see below guidance as to where we stand on live events in the UK. We are aware that things may change with respect to opening up events due to new variants of Covid 19. However, as it stands:
- All music education provision permitted.
- Drive-in cinema, theatre and other performance events permitted.
- Indoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (1,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Outdoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (4,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Large outdoor seated events permitted with audience limitations (10,000 people or 25% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Capacity limits: Performers and venue staff are not included in the above limits. For events with mixed standing and seating capacity the capacity cap will be calculated as 25% of seated capacity, irrespective of any standing capacity. All audience members admitted under this provision should be seated and should not access the venue’s standing capacity to view the event.
- Pubs open for both indoor and outdoor service. In addition to the above organised / advertised ‘live performances’ pubs can continue to provide complementary incidental live music in adherence with the Government’s guidance for businesses on safe socialising (advice on this link has since been updated).
- Life events (weddings, wedding receptions, funerals, wakes) A wider range now permitted to include bar mitzvahs and christenings. Guest limit for all life events set at thirty. Musicians are not included in these guest limits.
- Busking is now permitted in England. Performers should ensure that social distancing is maintained between performers and those watching the performance. Performers should take steps to ensure that social distancing between those watching the performance is maintained. This may be achieved by communications to the audience, such as signage or verbal communications.
- Amateur activity is now permitted with limitations which are under discussion with Government:
- Outdoors, people can take part in non-professional performing arts activities in a group of up to 30 people. Activities can take place with multiple permitted groups, provided the groups are kept separate throughout the activity, and the event is organised in line with the organised events guidance for local authorities.
- Indoors, people can take part in non-professional performing arts activities in a group of up to 6 people, or as a group of 2 households/bubbles. Activities can take place with multiple permitted groups, provided the groups are kept separate throughout the activity, and the event is organised in line with theorganised events guidance for local authorities.
- Non-professional singing indoors should only take place in a single group of up to 6 people.
- NHS Test & Trace: Some performing arts venues are required to keep a record of all visitors, customers and staff on the premises, to support NHS Test & Trace. This applies to: Theatres, Concert Venues (including Grassroots Music Venues), Music Recording Studios (open for public hire or other public use) You can find more information here.
Wishing you a fantastic June
RL
5th May 2021
Dear musicians,
From May 17th this is a summary of rules that apply to live music.
- Indoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (1,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Outdoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (4,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Large outdoor seated events permitted with audience limitations (10,000 people or 25% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
- Life events: A wider range now permitted to include bar mitzvahs and christenings. Guest limit for all life events set at thirty. Musicians are not included in these guest limits.
- Busking is now permitted.
- Amateur activity is now permitted.
Festivals have also started to gear up for what will likely be a slightly scaled-back version of their former selves. Whilst bigger festivals will operate, it is unlikely smaller festivals will be able to afford to take the risk of running, unless the government underwrites insurance to cover cancellation in the event of a pandemic.
For a comprehensive list of festivals running click here
RL
A short update on live music events now permitted as of 29th March 2021.
- Wider private music tuition permitted outdoors in addition to indoor provision in specified circumstances.
- Weddings, wedding receptions, funerals and wakes: Weddings and civil partnership services will no longer be limited to special circumstances, but guest limits will remain. Only six guests are allowed at these services and at wakes. 30 guests are allowed at funerals. Musicians are not included in these guest limits. Wedding receptions are not permitted.
For those who are able to perform at weddings, perhaps this provides some welcome news. We will keep you updated on the next round of updates on 12th April.
Stay safe
RL
2nd March 2021
Dear musicians,
We hope you are managing to stay creative during this very difficult period. Following Boris Johnson’s announcement on 21st February 2021, we have a slightly better idea of when live music can resume in the UK. From 17 May, music acts can perform to an audience of up to 1,000 people, or half of a venue’s capacity. In step four, from 21 June, all limits on socialising should be lifted and at that point live music should be able to resume as it was pre-pandemic. This is of course all dependent on Covid cases continuing to diminish. We are very much looking forward to re-opening our live Unsigned Sessions events series as soon as we can.
As if the pandemic wasn’t enough! The impacts of Brexit on touring artists is now of great concern. It seems that there wasn’t a great deal of thought about the creative sector when it came to Brexit negotiations, despite creative industries generating £115.9billion for the UK economy in 2019. A number of campaigns to draw attention to the issue of increased red tape and a huge rise in touring costs for artists have started, with Elton John grabbing the headlines. Take a look here.
We will update this page with any further announcements that may prove useful to musicians and the creative sector so stay tuned.
RL
10th January 2021
Dear musicians,
The pandemic has increased anxiety levels for everyone, so if you are feeling overwhelmed, please know you are not alone. Our friends at The Musicians Union have some useful resources available to help individuals navigate the current landscape from a mental health standpoint.
As well, Help Musicians have a range of funding options available should you be in need of financial assistance during this time. Use their search tool to find the right organisation to help your project.
Musicians would also do well to head over to Arts Council England. In addition to a very robust job board, they have recently reopened its Develop You Creative Practice (DYCP) program for 2020/2021, which aims to “help by supporting research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring”. Applicants can apply for grants from £2000 to £10,000.
A great way to stay inspired is drawing inspiration from other artists. Take a look at our collection of YouTube videos from our Melomania sessions which ran over the last few years. There is music from a huge range of genres and it might just be the thing that lends a spark to your imagination. If videos aren’t your thing, then check out the thousands of tracks from artists on our site.
We are still accepting music submissions and encourage you to keep us updated of any new music. If you’d like to add music to your existing profile, simply email richerunsigned@gmail.com. https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/0Qb44IG0VF8qnC7ar6k37h
Our Spotify playlist is constantly being updated, along with our Artist Of The Week blog, so there has never been a better time to get your music on Spotify and other streaming services. Once we’ve listened (we listen to everything that comes in), if we think it is a good fit, we will share it far and wide!
Stay safe and keep writing,
Rob Lewis
CEO