'It’s a statement of exclusion': music festivals return to UK but lineups still lack women
As the UK festival industry gets back on its feet after a fallow, fun-free year, the issue of gender equality on lineups has fallen by the wayside, Guardian analysis of 31 events has shown.
Friday marked a mini-boom for festival bill announcements, all heavily weighted towards male performers. Headlined by Liam Gallagher, Snow Patrol, David Guetta and Duran Duran, Isle of Wight offered a 73% male lineup.
Gallagher also headlines Scotland’s TRNSMT festival alongside the Chemical Brothers and the Courteeners, topping a bill where all-male acts make up 61% of performers. At Kendal Calling, headlined by Stereophonics, Supergrass, the Streets and Dizzee Rascal, a partial lineup announcement featured 79% men.
“It’s totally unacceptable that after a year of turmoil, women and minorities are being excluded from this return to live,” said Maxie Gedge, UK project manager of Keychange, the PRS Foundation’s initiative encouraging music festivals to pledge to commit to lineups featuring 50% women and gender minorities by 2022.