Organised by The British Library
Join us for an inspiring panel event in celebration of the British Library’s “Beyond the Bassline” exhibition.
About this event
This event takes place in the British Library and will be simultaneously live streamed on the British Library platform. Tickets may be booked either to attend in person, or to watch on our platform (online) either live or within 48 hours on catch up. Viewing links will be sent out shortly before the event.
Join us for an inspiring panel event in celebration of the British Library’s “Beyond the Bassline” exhibition. We’ve assembled some ground-breaking Black entrepreneurs who’ve transformed the British music industry to share the secrets of their success, including the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys.
At £2.5 billion, the UK is home to Europe's most valuable digital music economy (Statista, 2021, 2023). However, despite the undeniable contribution of Black music artists and entrepreneurs to these figures, 2021’s Black Lives in Music report found that among Black music professionals, 73% experienced direct or indirect racism and noted disparities in respondent’s earnings and ability to gain music funding.
Our panel of four inspiring industry leaders will both discuss the challenges and realities of the industry and share their experiences leveraging their creative talent to drive positive change for other artists and innovators. Gain insight into how their entrepreneurial vision is transforming popular culture, redefining Black identity and pioneering new directions across music, fashion, events, media and more.
On the day, you can expect to:
- Examine how entrepreneurship has evolved in the music industry, focusing on the journey of Black music in Britain and how this has been impacted by trends and other cultural shifts
- Learn how music artists and creatives are transforming wider popular culture and redefining Blackness
- Analyse diverse business models utilized in the industry
- Discover new opportunities and potential pitfalls
- Put your specific questions to our expert panel.
Moderated by:
The panel will be moderated by
Nat Nye and Stella B, spoken word artists and entrepreneurs.