We are doing this via a career development programme for underrepresented talent, a gender balance pledge for music organisations and a Manifesto that influences policy.
Keychange’s core actions
- An extensive programme of career development for women and gender expansive artists and industry innovators. Keychange helps all participants progress to the main stages and leading positions in the industry. In 2024, 272 artists and innovators will have completed the programme.
- A pledge for festivals, music organisations and companies to achieve gender balance. Over 500 festivals and music companies have already signed the pledge.
- A second Manifesto for change that will be presented to the European Commission in the final year of the project.
How it started
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 in post as 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 programme — transformed into a global movement for a profound transformation of the music industry.
Collaboration
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, SACEM, Liverpool Sound City, Way Out West, MAMA, Mutek, and Breakout West.
In 2019 Keychange announced a four year programme with project leads Reeperbahn Festival, funded by Creative Europe. In 2020 the first year of the programme was prolonged due to the pandemic situation. 74 participants are recruited each year in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
In shaping and delivering the project, Keychange collaborates with various brilliant individuals and organisations.
In 2020 and 2021 we have worked with Ableton, Acne, Awesome Merchandise, Chimes, Deloitte, Johan Bergmark, LOUIS Studio, Shesaid.so and Studio Imeus. In 2018 we were grateful for the support of Tamara Gal-On, Ruth Barnes and Remi Harris.
Keychange has generous support from a number of sponsors and content partners — GEMA, STEF, Gorwelion Horizons, Roskilde Festival, Songtrust, SoundCloud, Stim, Foundation SGAE, IMRO, FACTOR, SOCAN Foundation, Talent Norge, Norsk Tipping, and Musicians’ Union.
Explore our emerging talent, our partners, sponsors and signatories, as well as our Ambassadors and Award Winners in The Keychange Roster.
Awards
Keychange is honoured to have
won the following awards:
Innovation Award at
SIM in Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Innovation Award at the
Classical: Next (Netherlands)