A quarter of musicians do not earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half make less than £14,000 a year
- One in six musicians also reported being in debt, according to Help Musicians
- The average for those making all their money from music is £30,500 per year
A quarter of professional musicians do not earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half make less than £14,000 a year from playing.
The first UK Musicians’ Census found the average annual income from music work is £20,700 and many musicians must find extra income from jobs in other industries.
One in six musicians also reported being in debt, according to the study by charity Help Musicians.
The charity’s chief executive Sarah Woods said: ‘The census paints a picture of the distinctive challenges musicians face to sustain a career.’
The average for those making all their money from music is £30,500 per year, which is less than the average UK income of £33,280.
One in six musicians also reported being in debt, according to the study by charity Help Musicians
A quarter of professional musicians do not earn enough to support themselves and their families and almost half make less than £14,000 a year from playing
The average salary for a working-age person with a degree is £38,500.
A quarter (23 per cent) state they do not earn enough to support themselves or their families and for 44 per cent, a lack of sustainable income is a barrier to their music career.
One in six musicians – 17 per cent – also reported being in debt, according to the study.
With this in mind, many need jobs outside of the music industry to support them and this has a significant impact on their ability to develop their musical careers.
As well as doing other work, among the 53 per cent who can only sustain their career by using other funds, 14c per cent rely on financial support from family and friends and 12 per cent on Universal Credit or other benefits.
Rocketing prices have also impacted UK musicians.
A quarter (23 per cent) state they do not earn enough to support themselves or their families and for 44 per cent, a lack of sustainable income is a barrier to their music career
One in six musicians – 17 per cent – also reported being in debt, according to the study
One in three – 30 per cent – struggle to afford the cost of equipment and 27 per cent the cost of transport.
To make ends meet within the industry, most turn their hands to many things. While most (80 per cent) consider themselves as performers, on average, a working musician holds three to four different roles in music, while a typical musician works across four to five genres and plays two to three instruments. One fifth (20 per cent) report playing four or more.
Chief Executive of Help Musicians, Sarah Woods said: ‘The Musicians’ Census 2023 not only offers unique insight into the make-up of the musicians’ community across the UK but also paints a picture of the distinctive challenges musicians face to sustain a career.
‘Although the data shows some big challenges musicians face, it also highlights how committed they are in continuing to produce the music we all know and love; demonstrating how resilient our population of musicians truly is.’
Musicians’ Union General Secretary Naomi Pohl said: ‘The first Musicians’ Census highlights the challenges musicians face carving out and sustaining a career as a musician in 2023.
‘Even though the Musicians’ Census paints a challenging landscape for musicians, I believe the MU has never been in a better position to tackle them head on.’ ends
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