Keychange Pledge for Gender Equality
WHAT IS THE KEYCHANGE PLEDGE?
Keychange is an international movement for Gender Equity, which launched in the U.S. in 2022 as Keychange U.S. The Keychange Pledge is aimed at leveraging the playing field for gender equity in the music industry. The Pledge encourages festivals, conferences, companies, orchestras, labels, publishers, PR firms, music trade associations, music non-profits - and ALL music organizations, to pledge inclusion of at least 50% of underrepresented genders. This means women and gender expansive artists and professionals in any area of work, including people of color, in your event programming, musical works performed, your organizational staff, leadership, board representation, and more.
Have you already accomplished some gender equity? Please contact us to sign as an ally and role model in the community! Pledge Signatories receive support from the Keychange team to authentically develop and implement their Pledge and commitment to gender equity. More than 613 organizations have signed the Pledge world wide – join the movement and be part of the future of music!
For more information on the Keychange Pledge, please contact us at: info@keychangeus.com
Keychange Pledge Action Plan
In 2023 Keychange released the Pledge Action Plan which features feedback provided by more than 200 global pledge signatories over 5 years. The action plan highlights progress, challenges and the next steps required for Keychange to continue its work in reaching gender equity in the music industry.
Keychange will develop new frameworks, targeted campaigns and continue its global reach to support its signatories in achieving their pledged ambitions via a new 4-point plan focused on an industry-wide call to action under the following headings: Beyond Gender, Urgent Action, Global Community, and Education & Activism.
PLEDGE NEWS
Music Biz Signs the Keychange Pledge for Gender Equity!
We celebrate MUSIC BIZ as the 1st U.S. signatory of the Keychange Pledge since our expansion into the United States!
On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Portia Sabin (President, Music Biz) signed the Keychange Pledge for Gender Equity at the 2023 Music Biz Brunch, sponsored by our Founding Donor, TuneCore, alongside her Executive Committee, Andrea DaSilva (Program Manager, Keychange U.S.), and obSINity (Nashville’s very own Reba impersonator and Drag Queen). We also announced the launch of the Open Call for our 2023 Keychange U.S. Talent Development Program for women and gender-expansive artists and music professionals!
“Music Biz is signing on to the Keychange Pledge because accountability is necessary in the quest for diversity and inclusion. Equal representation is not out of our reach, from the staff at our companies, to our Board of Directors, to the people who speak at our events or the musicians who play at our festivals. Representation is critical - the next generation must see themselves on stages, as executives, and as players in the music industry. If we want a future that is more equitable than the past was, we need to start making it happen now with concrete actions. Keychange holds us accountable for those actions and allows us to provide a roadmap for others in the industry to follow.”
- Portia Sabin (President, Music Biz)