Art Not Evidence

Peers made clear that, absent substantive Government action, the issue will return at Report stage.

In the meantime, please continue to support this outcome in your social media posts and conversations!!P

The Minister indicated that the Government will await the outcome of the CPS consultation before considering legislative change. In response, Baroness Chakrabarti noted that the CPS should not be left to “mark its own homework”.

Concerns were also raised about the reliance on so-called “experts”, often police officers, rather than independent specialists with genuine cultural expertise.

This debate represents an important moment in parliamentary scrutiny of how creative expression is treated in criminal proceedings.

The principle is straightforward: evidence must be relevant, reliable and fair; it should only be admitted where it clearly meets that standard.

During the debate, peers warned of the risks inherent in treating artistic expression as literal confession:
“Much of the bragging and the boasting is simply that...to present that in court as some kind of evidence… is a slippery slope.”

Peers from across the House supported introducing safeguards for admitting music lyrics and videos as evidence.

This is all good news - the issue will be pursued at the next stage of the bill.

Good news from the House of Lords 💛

On Wednesday, peers debated the use of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials, which demonstrated clear and unchallenged cross-party concern about the current approach of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials.

We urge the government to reform the law, to prevent the misuse of creative expression.

Art Not Evidence flying the flag - literally - for Kneecap and in solidarity with Bob Vylan.

Read our full statement below...

➡️ Come with us to Parliament to talk to MPs in about the use of rap music as evidence in criminal trials…

#artnotevidence #rapontrial #rap #rapmusic #drill #drillmusic #jointenterprise #law #parliament #portcullishouse #westminster #debate #freedomofexpression #ukmusic

Even bigger thanks to @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social for speaking about us and our bill in last week’s debate on the Crime and Policing bill, highlighting how rap music is so often used to produce ‘gang narratives’ and introduce racist stereotypes into the courtroom.

ANE back in Parliament!

Huge thanks to the APPG on Music and APPG on Miscarriages of Justice for coming together to support our cause and bill, specifically @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social, @petewishart.bsky.social, our day 1 @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social and @ukmusic.bsky.social for facilitating.

✨ WE'RE HIRING ✨
Campaign Coordinator (Part-time)

Deadline: Monday 23rd June

More details and apply here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

A huge thank you to Billy Bragg @billybragg.bsky.social for supporting our campaign and his insightful thoughts on the connection to Kneecap’s current situation. We're in absolute agreement.

Read his full statement below!

‼️ “How parents regulate their childrens lives and how the state regulates our creative expression are two different things” ‼️

Our very own Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah joins Nkem Ifejika on BBC R4’s ‘Hip-Hop Homework’ navigating the varying opinions and aspects of the genre...

Thursday 1st May in Manchester: Jailed for 8 Years Over a Group Chat? Challenging Institutional Racism in the Courts.
In this year’s annual lecture at @uomsoss.bsky.social University of Manchester, Keir Monteith KC, Honorary Senior Lecturer, breaks down Ade’s case — one of the Manchester 10

Wednesday 30th in Bradford: Know Your Rights Workshop: The Criminalisation of Music and Young People with Adèle Oliver, the author of 'Deeping it - Colonialism, Culture and Criminalisation of UK Drill' ahead of ‘Public Interest’ the new immersive show from Common Wealth

Tuesday 29th in Leicester:
The Stephen Lawrence Research Centre Annual Lecture 'Race, Respectability & Disproportionality: The Use of Music in the Criminalisation of Young Black People' - Keir Monteith KC will be keynote speaker, followed by incredible panellists

Art Not Evidence website Lnk.Bio · link in bio Art Not Evidence website Lnk.Bio · link in bio - Profile and social media links for Art Not Evidence website

3 opportunities in 3 cities to hear about Art Not Evidence this week ‼️
Links to free tickets: lnk.bio/artnotevidence

REMEL survey - Black Lives in Music REMEL Survey Your Voice. Your Future. Faced barriers putting on events or struggled to get opportunities? Black and Asian-led events see more cancellations and restrictions.We need your voice to push ...

Too many Black and Asian-led events are being shut down for no reason, denied licenses and policed more heavily than others.

Your experience can help shift policy and protect the future of Black music culture. Take the REMEL survey today.

blim.org.uk/change

David Letterman’s reaction to Jay-Z here shows the problem with using rap as evidence ‼️

Imagine 12 David Letterman’s on a jury, being told that lyrics by a Black teenager are literal and amount to a confession…

We were inspired to start Art Not Evidence by the campaigning for freedom of artistic expression in the US so it feels great to be moving forward together as a global effort 💛

Not sure we believe in coincidences anymore…the same week we visit the US for the first time at SXSW we have also officially aligned with our sister campaign in the US 'Free Our Art'

The more signatures, the stronger the message to policy makers!

✍️ Add your name at artnotevidence.org

Thank you for 1000 signatories on our open letter!!!

Learn more about what we’re campaigning for and add your name via the 🔗 in our bio or on our website 💛

Keir Monteith on the quashing of a young black man’s conviction Keir Monteith KC of Garden Court Chambers led the legal team for Ademola Adedeji, an aspiring black law student whose conviction, aged 18 in 2022, and eight-year sentence for conspiracy to cause

Read his short interview here: www.thetimes.com/uk/law/artic...

We're SO PROUD of our co-founder Keir Monteith KC who is @thetimes.com Lawyer of the Week after his incredible work quashing his client Ade Adedeji's conviction in the Court of Appeal.

Sir Mark Rowley is right about one thing, though: he is not an expert on drill music. Nor are the other police officers who claim to be, and who present shoddy evidence on the subject in criminal courts across the country.
This has to stop.

Time and again we have seen that curbing young people’s expression has no meaningful impact on reducing violent crime.

It’s concerning to see the Met’s most senior officer backing more draconian controls on drill musicians, particularly after police forces have said they are willing to engage and learn more about this subject...