Music production guidance published to enable professional music production to restart with confidence and clarity
 

Music organisations AIM (Association of Independent Music), BPI (British Phonographic Industry), MPG (Music Producers Guild) and the MU (Musicians' Union) are today announcing the publication of new Music Production Guidance to support the safe restarting of music and music video production with confidence and clarity.

Developed as part of a working group convened by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), this industry-led guidance has been developed in consultation with colleagues across the music industry, including with musicians, recording studios and rehearsal spaces. Throughout their development there has been extensive dialogue with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive.

Like many parts of the UK economy, the music industry has been hard-hit by the effects of Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown measures. The live sector has been particularly impacted, but studio recording and video production has also stalled. While early steps have been taken to conduct some studio sessions in a Covid-safe environment, this new guidance is designed to build confidence and support the next stages of getting recording sessions and production up and running again on a wider basis. As lockdown eases, it is vital for the long-term health of the music community and for music fans that production can restart safely and at scale – for its artists, orchestras, labels, retailers and digital services, venues and live sector and all the people that work with them. This guidance puts the safety of everyone working in music at its heart, together with an expert-led, workable approach to making a broad range of music.

This music production guidance covers all professional music and music video production and live music streaming – including spaces where music is written, arranged, rehearsed, produced or captured; and applies to commercial recording or rehearsal studios, scoring stages, production rooms, mastering studios, home studios, home office spaces, other shared working spaces, production and post-production locations, whether in studio or on location.

Separately, guidance is being published for the Performing Arts, which it is hoped will support the live music sector in planning reopening.

The full music production guidance can be read here. 

It contains nine key areas:

Risk
Who should go to work;
Social distancing for workers and others in home workplaces, including specific guidance for singers, wind and brass players ;
Keeping clients, musicians, actors and other visiting workers safe
Cleaning the workplace;
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and face coverings
Workforce Management
Inbound and outbound goods
Additional Specific Guidance for Specialist Environments:

This guidance will continue to be reviewed and updated as further scientific and Government advice evolves.

Paul Pacifico, Chief Executive AIM, said:
"We are really pleased to have collaborated with government and their public health experts in developing this practical and clear guidance that will help the dedicated professionals of the recorded music sector return to work safely. Music plays a crucial role both economically and socially – whether it's the soundtrack to our most memorable life events, or in cinema, television, or theatre where music sets the mood and heightens emotions, whether we listen for solace or euphoria, solitary or shared, music's role is unique. We hope that this guidance will help us all on the road to recovery across both culture and commerce."

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said:
"The pandemic has brought home to many just how important music is in our daily lives. Investing in talent and releasing new music are the heart of what labels do, so we are happy to support our artists, producers and songwriters in getting back into the recording studio and other workspaces, safely and with confidence. This will help to unleash a flood of new music for fans and spur an even bigger contribution from music to economic recovery. We thank our industry partners and DCMS and advisers for their collaboration in producing this important guidance."

Olga Fitzroy, Executive Director MPG, said:
"The MPG are glad to have been supporting our members getting back to work safely, and are grateful for the input of our members, studios, industry partners and government bodies for their help in developing this guidance. We hope it will give our clients the confidence to commission new productions and get all of our members back to doing what they do best as safely and as quickly as possible."

Horace Trubridge, General Secretary Musicians' Union, said:
"The MU has been pleased to work closely with AIM, the MPG and the BPI In assisting and guiding the DCMS in this important work. The UK's broadcasting, film and production sector is the envy of the world and this sector specific guidance should enable studios, production companies and broadcasters to get back up to speed safely and efficiently."

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), said:
"Throughout this crisis, music has been a vital source of support and inspiration for many so we have been working closely with the industry on this important guidance to get production back up and running safely. Artists, musicians and producers should feel confident returning to studios and video sets to make new work for their fans."