About Keychange U.S.

Keychange U.S. is a charitable non-profit organization championing gender equity and inclusion within the music industry. The global movement originated as Keychange in Europe in 2017 under the leadership of Vanessa Reed and the PRS Foundation (UK), Reeperbahn Festival (Germany), and Musikcentrum Öst (Sweden). The Global Keychange Pledge boasts more than 615 signatories across the music ecosystem globally. Each organization tailors the Pledge to demonstrate its authentic commitment towards gender equality. The Talent Development Program is a holistic professional development program for women and gender expansive artists and music professionals and offers team meet-ups, a mentorship program and career defining showcase and speaking opportunities at partner festivals and conferences. On June 14th, 2022, Keychange U.S. launched with a generous contribution from Founding Sponsors TuneCore and Believe. Keychange U.S. is building on the global success of the movement to authentically develop a stronger, safer, and more inclusive U.S. music industry for all.

Photo: Keychange 2022 cohort gathered in London (c) Madeline Rome for Keychange EU

Keychange’s core actions

  • The Keychange Talent Development Program: An extensive career development program for women and gender minority artists and industry innovators. Keychange helps all participants move to the main stage and into leading positions in the industry. By 2024, over 300 artists and innovators will have completed the program.

  • The Keychange Pledge: A gender equality pledge with over 620 music companies and organizations outlining their own ambitions and making themselves accountable for progress towards equality.

  • The Keychange Manifesto: A manifesto for change which celebrates achievements, ideas and suggestions that come out of our work and calls for collective action from the music industry and policy makers. A second Manifesto for change will be presented at Tallinn Music Week in April 2024.

How it started

Vanessa Reed, Founder of Keychange

Keychange was initiated by Vanessa Reed, former CEO of PRS Foundation in 2015. Together with the initial partners; Musikcentrum Öst, Reeperbahn Festival, BIME, Tallinn Music Week and Iceland Airwaves, the project was developed towards its launch in 2017. By then, Jess Partridge was Project Manager, and MUTEK in Montréal had teamed up as an overseas partner - a testament to the fast pace and urgency of the movement. 

The Keychange Pledge was proposed by the original Keychange festival partners who wanted to show they are serious in their commitment to gender equality, in addition to offering showcase opportunities for underrepresented talent.

Keychange has — from its initial career development program — evolved into a global movement for a profound transformation of the music industry.

U.S. Expansion

Believe, TuneCore and Keychange in London, June 2022 (c) Madeline Rome

Keychange's global mission aligns with TuneCore and Believe's fierce commitment to gender equality across their artist and employee communities.

As U.S. founding sponsors, they are enabling Keychange's U.S. expansion. In 2022 a new, dynamic team will be engaging with key stakeholders in the U.S. to authentically build an effective talent development program and a bespoke approach to moving the needle in the U.S. 

Be a part of our movement for change!

Collaboration

Carla Marie Williams, Keychange Ambassador

Keychange is led by Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, PRS Foundation in the UK and Musikcentrum Öst in Sweden.

Keychange works in partnership with Tallinn Music Week, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Oslo World, Linecheck/Music Innovation Hub, Ireland Music Week, Different Sounds, ACEM, Liverpool Sound City, Way Out West, MAMA, MUTEK, and Breakout West.

In shaping and delivering the project, Keychange collaborates with various brilliant individuals, sponsors and organizations.