UK Music 2026 Summer Party Launches 45m Music Plan, Calls for AI Copyright Reform and EU Touring Support

On Monday, July 13, the IET building in London became the epicenter of the UK’s music industry as UK Music’s 2026 Summer Party opened with a thunderous live set from the New Generation Steel Orchestra Quartet, a group that has been lighting up the Notting Hill Carnival for six decades. The evening quickly turned into a showcase of the sector’s resilience, bringing together trade bodies, record labels, and government officials in a celebration that also marked the first summer party since the pandemic‑era pause.

After the quartet’s high‑energy performance, BPI Chair YolanDa Brown OBE paid a heartfelt tribute to late MOBO founder Kanya King and label executive Alexi Cory‑Smith, reminding attendees of the community and history that underpin the industry’s current successes. The tribute set a reflective tone that would carry through the rest of the night.

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl delivered the main address, underscoring the sector’s economic weight: music generates £8 billion for the UK economy, £4.8 billion in export revenue and supports 220,000 jobs. He called for stronger copyright rules around artificial intelligence, urged the removal of barriers to EU touring, and demanded a price cap on ticket touts. In addition, Kiehl welcomed Catriona Laing as the new Chair of UK Music and thanked former Chair Lord Tom Watson for steering the industry through the COVID‑19 crisis. He noted the departure of Diversity Taskforce Chair Ammo Talwar and the appointment of Arit Eminue as the new chair.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy launched the new Music Plan during the party, unveiling a £45 million investment package that adds £15 million to the existing Music Growth Package for 2025. Nandy said the plan is a joint effort, stating that music “matters more than ever” and that the government will work with the industry to protect and grow the sector. The plan includes initiatives for exports, education and mid‑career artists, and introduces a Music Champion role to support the rollout. It also signals the government’s commitment to the BBC’s music funding, a key pillar of the industry.

Kiehl outlined five priorities he expects the incoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to address: lifting EU touring restrictions, enforcing a price cap on ticket resellers, supporting devolution of music policy, ensuring AI firms obtain proper permission and pay for music use, and safeguarding BBC music programming. The event drew representatives from UK Music’s member organisations – AIM, BPI, FAC, Ivors Academy, MMF, MPA, MPG, MU, PPL and PRS for Music – as well as politicians from the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats. The UK Music 2026 Summer Party concluded with a statement that the sector will continue to thrive, provided that the government follows through on the commitments announced at the event. The Music Plan will be rolled out over the next year, with the first tranche of funding expected in early 2027, and UK Music has said it will monitor implementation and continue to lobby for further support.