The newish trade group for the wider UK live music sector, LIVE, has announced the appointment of Chris Carey as its Chief Economist. He will also continue in his existing position as Head Of International Marketing at TicketSwap.
"Data and research has underpinned much of LIVE's conversations with government – and its successes – to date, so the board is THRILLED that Chris will be continuing this vital work in a more formal capacity", says LIVE CEO Greg Parmley.
Carey adds: "I'm very proud to be joining the LIVE team at this critical time. I have always been passionate about the UK live music sector and about the people who work all hours to make gigs and festivals happen. As the live music industry moves from crisis to reopening, I'll be working closely with members to make sure there is a strong analytical foundation to help underpin a speedy, sustainable recovery".
Last year, Carey co-authored two reports for LIVE, including 'UK Live Music: At A Cliff Edge', which warned that nearly 170,000 jobs in the live industry were at risk of being lost without further government support.
As well as running his own consultancy business, Media Insight Consulting, for a number of years, Carey has previously held roles at EMI, Universal Music and PRS For Music.
Alongside Carey's appointment, LIVE yesterday also announced the launch of some new sub-committees, LIVE Touring, LIVE Venues and LIVE Green, to focus on specific issues facing the industry. A fourth sub-committee - focussed on equality, diversity and inclusivity - is set to launch next month.