A quarter of musicians do not earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half make less than £14,000 a year
A quarter of musicians don’t earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half earn less than £14,000 a year
- According to Help Musicians, one in six musicians also has debt
- The average for those who make all their money from music is £30,500 a year
A quarter of professional musicians do not earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half earn less than £14,000 a year playing.
The first UK Musicians’ Census shows that the average annual income from music work is £20,700 and many musicians need to find additional income from jobs in other sectors.
One in six musicians also report being in debt, according to research by the charity Help Musicians.
The charity’s chief executive, Sarah Woods, said: ‘The census paints a picture of the distinctive challenges musicians face in sustaining a career.’
The average for those who earn all their money from music is £30,500 a year, which is less than the average UK income of £33,280.
One in six musicians also report being in debt, according to research by the charity Help Musicians
A quarter of professional musicians don’t earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half earn less than £14,000 a year playing
The average salary for a working-age person with a degree is £38,500.
A quarter (23 percent) say they do not earn enough to support themselves or their families, and for 44 percent, a lack of sustainable income is a barrier to their music career.
According to the research, one in six musicians (17 percent) also indicates that they have debts.
With this in mind, many need jobs outside the music industry to support them, and this has a significant impact on their ability to develop their music careers.
In addition to other work, 14 percent of the 53 percent who can only support their career by using other funds rely on financial support from family and friends and 12 percent on Universal Credit or other benefits.
Rising prices are also affecting British musicians.
A quarter (23 percent) say they do not earn enough to support themselves or their families, and for 44 percent a lack of sustainable income is a barrier to their music career
According to the research, one in six musicians (17 percent) also indicates that they have debts
One in three (30 percent) struggles to pay for equipment costs and 27 percent for transportation costs.
To make ends meet within the industry, most turn to many things. Although most (80 percent) consider themselves performing artists, on average a working musician fills three to four different roles in music, while a typical musician works in four to five genres and plays two to three instruments. A fifth (20 percent) indicate that they play four or more.
Chief Executive of Help Musicians, Sarah Woods, said: ‘The Musicians’ Census 2023 not only provides a unique insight into the make-up of the UK’s musician community, but also paints a picture of the distinctive challenges musicians face in order to make a difference. to sustain a career.
‘While the data shows that musicians face significant challenges, it also shows how committed they are to continuing to produce the music we all know and love; showing how resilient our musician population really is.”
Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union said: ‘The first Musicians’ Census highlights the challenges musicians face in building and maintaining a career as a musician in 2023.
“While the Musicians’ Census paints a challenging landscape for musicians, I believe the MU has never been in a better position to meet them head on.” ends