July 13, 2020

The BPI, together with AIM (Association of Independent Music), MPG (Music Producers Guild) and the MU (Musicians’ Union) announced the publication on 9 July 2020. Developed as part of a working group convened by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the BPI says that the 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.

The BPI notes that, 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, the BPI says that 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. The BPI says that 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. The 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.

The 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 guidance covers nine key areas:

1. risk;
2. who should go to work;
3. social distancing for workers and others in home workplaces, including specific guidance for singers, wind and brass players;
4. keeping clients, musicians, actors and other visiting workers safe;
5. cleaning the workplace;
6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and face coverings;
7. workforce management;
8. inbound and outbound goods; and
9. additional specific guidance for specialist environments.

The BPI says that the guidance will continue to be reviewed and updated as further scientific and Government advice evolves. To read the BPI’s press release in full and for a link to the guidance, click here.