London report finds Black and South Asian music events face disproportionate licensing barriers

Black and South Asian music events in London face disproportionate cancellations and licensing barriers, a two-year REMEL report led by Black Lives in Music and published 14 October 2026 found. Commissioned by the mayor's office, it says Afrobeats, drill and dancehall are routinely labelled 'high risk' despite lack of credible evidence, while indie, pop and rock face comparatively little scrutiny.