Black Lives in Music

What Black Lives in Music does

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a UK-registered charity and company limited by guarantee (Charity no. 1201584; Company No. 12959686) founded in 2020 by Charisse Beaumont and Roger Wilson, headquartered in London. The organisation uses data, advocacy, mentoring, and industry partnerships to combat systemic racism and advance equity for Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse people in the UK music industry. Its core programmes include BLiM Connect (a mentoring programme for early-career Black and Global Majority creatives), Recruiting Classical (an audition initiative in partnership with eight leading UK orchestras — CBSO, RLPO, RPO, RNS, BSO, LPO, Ulster, Hallé), the 10 Point Action Plan for inclusive orchestral recruitment co-developed with the Musicians' Union and Association of British Orchestras, and a 10-Step Digital Charter for member organisations.

BLiM's technology surface is anchored by EquiTrack, a proprietary DEI platform designed specifically for music organisations to benchmark inclusivity and convert anti-racism commitments into measurable progress. The organisation's research outputs include the landmark "Being Black in the UK Music Industry" report (the largest survey of Black musicians and industry professionals in the UK to date, with nearly 2,000 respondents) and the UNSEEN UNHEARD report (149 Black disabled music creators and professionals, in partnership with Attitude is Everything). Distribution operates through direct engagement (events, parliamentary advocacy, BLiM Connect Industry Talks), an 85+ partner network, and a small e-commerce merchandise channel.

The revenue model is mission-driven and diversified across four streams: individual donations (£10–£100 tiers, monthly/annual), merchandise sales (£7–£35 SKUs), bespoke multi-year corporate partnerships (Charity-of-the-Year, brand collaborations, grants), and charter-linked membership fees for organisations. Funding is sourced from Arts Council England, Help Musicians, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, PRS Foundation, and the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, among others. The go-to-market motion is community-led: individuals join as members or mentees, organisations sign the charter as partners, and the organisation's policy and research work influences industry practice and government policy (e.g., contributions to the UK Government's Licensing Sprint Taskforce in 2025).

Name

Black Lives in Music

Legal name

Black Lives in Music

Website

https://blim.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a UK charity founded in 2020 that uses data, advocacy, mentoring, and partnerships to advance equity for Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse people in the UK music industry, operating programmes such as BLiM Connect, Recruiting Classical, and EquiTrack.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Industry Diversity & Inclusion Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights, Social Inclusion & Disability Inclusion (BPAGABAN)

Keywords

• Music industry diversity
• Anti-racism advocacy
• Musician mentoring programmes
• DEI research reports
• Inclusive music recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: BLiM accepts individual donations through its website at various amounts (£10, £30, £50, £100 or custom), with options for one-time, monthly, or annual giving. Donations support the organization's continuous fight for change within the music industry.
2. Merchandise Sales: BLiM operates an online merchandise store selling items including hoodies (£35), t-shirts (£20), bucket hats (£15), tote bags (£7), water bottles (£10), and Christmas cards. All purchases support BLiM's work.
3. Corporate Partnerships: BLiM creates bespoke, mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses including Charity of the Year arrangements, brand collaborations, grants, and programme funding. Partners provide critical funding and may also offer skills-based volunteering and pro-bono support.
4. Membership Fees: BLiM offers membership to music organisations that sign their 10-step digital charter. While specific membership fees are not publicly disclosed, membership is a revenue stream associated with charter sign-up.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a UK charity that uses data, advocacy, technology, mentoring, and institutional partnerships to combat racism and advance equity for Black and ethnically diverse people in the UK music industry. Its core deliverables include the EquiTrack DEI technology platform, the BLiM Connect mentoring programme, the Recruiting Classical orchestral initiative, research publications such as "Being Black in the UK Music Industry" and "UNSEEN UNHEARD," and the industry-wide 10 Point Action Plan framework adopted by music organisations.

Product overview

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a nonprofit advocacy organisation rather than a product company. It operates a portfolio of programmes and services focused on combating racism and promoting equity in the UK music industry. The core offerings include EquiTrack (a DEI technology platform for music organisations), BLiM Connect (mentoring programme for early-career creatives), Recruiting Classical (orchestral audition initiative in partnership with 8 UK orchestras), and the 10 Point Action Plan (inclusive recruitment framework with ABO and Musicians' Union). Supporting services include industry research reports (Being Black in the UK Music Industry, UNSEEN UNHEARD), an Industry Wide Anti-Racism Code of Conduct, a 10-Step Digital Charter, a jobs board, and a merchandise store. The organisation is structured around data-driven advocacy, member organisations, and direct support for Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse musicians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EquiTrack: A solution-driven technology platform designed to support organisations in meeting their anti-racist, social equity and social value commitments
• BLiM Connect
• Recruiting Classical
• Classically Black

Products and services

• EquiTrack
• BLiM Connect
• Recruiting Classical
• 10 Point Action Plan
• Industry Wide Anti-Racism Code of Conduct

Quantifiable outcome

• 38 musicians progressed to perform with partner orchestras
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UK Government Licensing Sprint TaskforcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2025CEO Dr Charisse Beaumont contributed evidence and recommendations to the Licensing Sprint Taskforce, feeding into the government's new Small Business Plan. BLiM's REMEL report informed recommendations on licensing reform.
• Musicians' Union (MU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnership with Musicians' Union and Association of British Orchestras (ABO) to launch the Hiring and Recruitment 10 Point Action Plan for inclusive recruitment across UK professional orchestral and choral sectors. Year 2 launched September 2025 with 34 participating organisations.
• Association of British Orchestras (ABO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnership with ABO and Musicians' Union to launch the Hiring and Recruitment 10 Point Action Plan. ABO provides funding for Year 2 training programmes. 34 orchestras and choirs signed up.
• Qwest TV EDUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2023Collaboration with Qwest TV EDU (co-founded by Quincy Jones) to create a 5-part BLiM series of interviews hosted by Zeze Millz. BLiM members received complimentary access to Qwest TV EDU platform.
• Attitude is EverythingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022First partnership between a black-led and disability-led organisation calling on the UK music industry to break down barriers faced by Black disabled people. Collaboration includes joint report UNSEEN UNHEARD exploring experiences of Black disabled music creators and professionals, and joint advocacy work.
• Royal Opera House (Orchestra)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Overture mentorship programme, pairing musicians aged 18-26 from underrepresented backgrounds with Orchestra of the Royal Opera House members for mentoring, learning and professional development.
• Guildhall Young ArtistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to nurture diverse talent and representation through Conductor in Residence scheme with London Schools Symphony Orchestra. Bradley Wilson appointed inaugural Conductor in Residence.
• Black Music SummitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCEO Charisse Beaumont joined the Black Music Summit's Creative Council. The summit is the world's first industry summit celebrating Black music and professionals.
• ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to drive change and improve representation of instrumental and vocal music examiners. BLiM promoting ABRSM examiner training course to global majority community teachers.
• Opinium ResearchcoreOthersPartnership for the Being Black in the UK Music Industry survey, the largest survey of Black musicians and music industry professionals conducted in the UK to date.
• UK MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Music report found that black music generated £24.5bn of £30bn total UK music industry revenue over 30 years. BLiM's research and advocacy work complements UK Music data on industry disparities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PRS Foundation: UK funder of new music and talent development. Both a BLiM funder and a broader incumbent in music-sector grantmaking with reach across genres and career stages, sharing a talent-pipeline orientation.
• Help Musicians: UK charity supporting musicians across all genres with welfare, health, and career development services. Both a BLiM funder and a broader incumbent in UK music-sector charitable support, addressing musician wellbeing rather than racial-equity outcomes.
• UK Music: UK music industry trade body representing collective interests of the sector. Operates at industry-policy level that complements BLiM's equity focus; their data on Black music's £24.5bn contribution contextualises BLiM's advocacy work.

Direct peers

• Women in Music: US-based nonprofit advocating for gender equity in the music industry. Comparable advocacy, mentorship, and recognition (awards/honours) model targeting representation gaps, sharing BLiM's talent-development and education programming structure.
• Attitude is Everything: UK charity improving access for deaf and disabled people in live music. Most direct BLiM peer: also a music-industry equity charity that BLiM partnered with on the UNSEEN UNHEARD report, serving overlapping organisational partners and advocating for inclusion.
• SheSaid.so: Global professional network for women and gender minorities in the music industry. Analogous community-led advocacy and talent development model targeting representation gaps in music, with chapters that mirror BLiM's regional partnership approach.
• Decolonise the Music Industry: UK-based initiative addressing racial inequality across the music industry. Closest functional analogue to BLiM in terms of music-industry-specific anti-racism advocacy, education, and policy engagement.
• Black Music Coalition: UK-based coalition advocating for racial equality in the music industry. Closely aligned with BLiM's mission of advancing equity for Black music professionals, sharing policy advocacy and industry partnership approaches.
• Keychange: International initiative advancing gender equality in the music industry. Comparable to BLiM as a values-driven music-industry equity coalition with charter-based membership, partner organisations, and measurable commitments from signatories.

Regional players

• Color of Change: US-based racial-justice organisation that runs campaigns across entertainment and media. Operates similar anti-racism advocacy and accountability work but in a US context with different industry structures (major labels, streaming platforms).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5aVhoqd4aEP_ShkpDjv4dA
• Xx.com/BLKLivesinMusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackLivesInMusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-lives-in-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Lives in Music