Forty-five international music festivals, including the Proms, Liverpool Sound City, the Aldeburgh opera festival and Kendal Calling, have pledged a 50/50 gender split in their lineups.

As part of the Keychange initiative, founded by the PRS Foundation, the festivals will implement the change – across their live music acts, conference talks and commissions – by 2022.

Vanessa Reed, CEO of PRS Foundation, said: “The push for gender parity across society continues and with increased public awareness of inequalities across the creative industries, we have an opportunity to respond and commit to tangible change in music … I hope that this will be the start of a more balanced industry which will result in benefits for everyone.”