ISM

'Put arts back at the heart of education'

Find out what 1300+ arts professionals have called for from the Curriculum and Assessment Review

Read more: www.ism.org/news/1300-si...

SAVE ARTS EDUCATION🚨

Today we deliver an urgent message to government - the Curriculum and Assessment Review must put the arts back at the heart of the curriculum, signed by 1300+ arts professionals.

Read the open letter in The Times ⬇️
www.thetimes.com/article/c365...

🚨 WEBINAR ALERT 🚨

Our Making Tax Digital webinar is a practical guide to protect musicians from upcoming changes to reporting tax and its financial implications

Join us on Wed 5 Nov for a crash course with top tips and tricks

Secure your place now ⬇️
www.ism.org/event/making...

In 2023, Deborah Annetts emphasised the ramifications of the EBacc to the Lords 11-16 Education Committee

For 10+ years, Deborah has been an industry leader on the consistent damage to music education, voicing this to parliamentary committees at every opportunity ⬇️

Read the reaction from co-authors @proffautley.bsky.social and @allydaubney.bsky.social ⬇️

We're nominated at the Music & Drama Education Awards 2026 🎉

The Independent Society of Musicians is delighted to announce that the ISM Trust's free Curriculum for Music frameworks have been nominated for Outstanding Music Education Resource

Read more📰
www.ism.org/news/ism-tru...

Insurance! Terrifying but essential, so let us break it down for you 💭

What insurances do you need as a working musician?

ISM membership includes every key insurance you need and discounts on even more just in case 🎉

Check out everything on offer ⬇️
www.ism.org/insurance-fo...

The ISM have conducted extensive research on the disastrous impact of the EBacc and Progress 8

We've delivered major reports featuring devastating teacher testimonies on the overwhelming harm done to music in schools

Read our latest report ⬇️
ism.org/music-in-per...

In 2013, the ISM went straight to 10 Downing Street 
  
Chief Executive Deborah Annetts alongside other arts leaders delivered a letter on the EBacc asking government to slow proposals eradicating creative subjects in schools

The Guardian calls for schemes to nurture grassroots live music venues 🎸

These are essential to developing artist careers when AI is stripping opportunities for musicians, and to ensure our regional spaces have identities shaped by music 🎶

Read more ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

In 2012, the ISM launched Bacc for the Future

This campaign brought 100,000+ people from across the music sector and beyond to start the fight against the damaging ramifications of the EBacc in schools

Find out more on our campaigns ⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/mus...

🚨 Reinstate the ITT bursary 🚨

The three music subject associations, the ISM, Music Mark and the Music Teachers Association have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urging her to reconsider cutting the £10,000 bursary for trainee music teachers ⬇️
www.ism.org/news/music-s...

Join us for this free webinar, presented with @musicianstaxadvisor.org, for clear guidance on Making Tax Digital that musicians must be aware of as HMRC rolls out the next phase.

📅 Date: 5 November 2025
🕒 Time: 4-5 pm
💻 Location: Online Webinar - register via this link: https://loom.ly/jiqLOX4

ISM Statement on Manchester Pride The Independent Society of Musicians are saddened to hear the news that Manchester Pride has begun the process of voluntary liquidation. Now more than ever, it is essential for all facets of the live music and entertainment industries to come together to preserve our cultural landscape, most notably within the LGBTQIA+ community who are experiencing a collapse of nightlife and live music opportunities, such as the now cancelled Manchester Pride 2026. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ musician community, including singers, songwriters, DJs, producers, drag performers, nightclub management and so many more. For those potentially affected by unpaid fees and are currently ISM members, please get in touch with our legal services team at legal@ism.org if you are owed money and we will support you in recovering these fees. Your Music. Your Rights. Our Mission.

A statement from The Independent Society of Musicians on Manchester Pride

We are saddened to hear that Manchester Pride has begun the process of voluntary liquidation

We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ musician community 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Your Music. Your Rights. Our Mission.

The government are proposing new costs for musicians touring with instruments. As @baronesskeeley.bsky.social points out, this is not fair

If you agree, fill out this consultation - it only takes 5 mins 📝

Today is your LAST CHANCE to make your voice heard ⬇️
www.ism.org/news/governm...

Campaign launched to promote music study Musicians' organisations are calling on ministers to recognise the importance of pupils studying music and the arts at school

By 2011, the EBacc had already started to undermine music’s place in schools and erase wider arts education

Our letter-writing campaign with Music Teacher magazine sprung the public to action, letting our MPs know the lasting damage of the EBacc on students ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

🎶 SAVING MUSIC EDUCATION 🎶

Since the EBacc's introduction in 2010, we've led the fight against its harmful impact on music and arts education

The upcoming Curriculum and Assessment Review must be the moment for real change

Take a look at our campaign journey so far 🧵

Campaign launched to promote music study Musicians' organisations are calling on ministers to recognise the importance of pupils studying music and the arts at school

By 2011 the EBacc had already started to diminish music’s place in schools.

Our letter-writing campaign with Music Teacher magazine sprung the public into action, letting MPs know just how damaging the EBacc is ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Lovely to see this article on Michael Collins, our new Principal Guest Artist, in the Autumn 2025 edition of @ism-music.bsky.social Music Journal. Michael is working with the Orchestra on a number of projects over three seasons and will be back with us in November for BBC Radio 3 Classical Live.

Step inside the 20th Anniversary of UNESCO’s Convention 2005.

A panel of industry leaders came together to discuss cultural expression in the UK and what we can do to protect our sector from generative AI.

Check out the highlights and read more ⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

📣 Speaker Announcement 📣

Lucy Ireland is an actor, musician, composer and content creator, who's performed across the globe.

Wondering how to turn your passion into a career? Learn how in our next webinar on 22 October 💫

www.ism.org/event/how-to...

“If we do not support our youngsters to become creators of the future and battle AI, we will lose an industry worth £125 billion a year… there are HUGE societal implications”

Join us in our fight to protect your work as musicians

Read about our work ⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

“We have been working hard for creatives to be at the heart of the conversation, but it is not clear if government wants us there” — Deborah Annetts

Find out more about copyright and AI 🤖⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

“Policymakers are used to a divided creative space... but we are fighting for our lives, fighting for the story of humanity” — Helen Epega

Find out more about copyright and AI 🤖⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

“We are fighting for our cultural industries, diversity and humanity”

The arts sector is based around our humanity, our fight is to preserve the voice of musicians and ensure human creativity stays thriving

Find out more about copyright and AI 🤖⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

“The government is going to break copyright to benefit big tech... I dont understand how scraping an Ed Sheeran song is going to improve UK productivity”

Find out more about copyright and AI 🤖⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

“It's not just about culture, its about society, humanity, what makes our lives have value”

The panel at the Cyprus High Commission on protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expression has begun!

Find out more about copyright and AI 🤖⬇️
www.ism.org/campaign/cop...

Watch the Earl of Clancarty share concerns that the importance of the arts 'is simply not getting through' to government.

He pointed to 'hugely disappointing' cuts to the arts and urged government to fulfil its promises for music and arts education in schools ⬇

Check this out 👀

ISM CEO Deborah Annetts is chairing an incredible panel at the Cyprus High Commission this afternoon to celebrate the 20th anniversary of UNESCO's Convention 2005

Big conversations to protect and promote diversity of cultural expression, especially in the age of AI 🤖

As early as 2011, the EBacc’s impact was already being felt in the classroom.

We warned government of this - a survey of ISM members found that 54% of respondents had seen ‘a negative impact on the provision of music education’ in their setting ⬇️
loom.ly/RV07Irw