Abolish the 2003 Licensing Act!

The presentation of entertainment and art has always been policed by both central and local government in the UK. If you’re a band, a performer, a film-maker and you want to put on a gig or a show and charge the public for seeing you’re work, you have to apply for a license under The Licensing Act 2003. Why? The intentions are moral and draconian – we are not allowed to enjoy ourselves through creative expression without it being checked and policed. The objectives of the licensing are to prevent crime and disorder, to ensure the safety of the public, to prevent public nuisance and lastly to protect children from harm.

Such an act has stifled arts centres, pubs, clubs and bars from putting on entertainment because of the ridiculous levels of “health and safety” measurements that has to be put into place. London’s artistic and creative community is being stifled by this act. Venues are being more cautious about how many people are allowed on to their premises and what an artist or performer can do in their premises. As a result more and more artists and entertainers are having to jump through bureaucratic procedures such as “risk assessments” and having to disclose detailed information about what they will be doing.

As a responsible promoter, I am completely concerned about public safety and so are artists and entertainers. No-one wants to wilfully injure or put the lives of people in danger. It’s called having a dialogue and discussion with each other. This doesn’t need policing by local authorities or fire and safety officers.

London used to be full of fantastic “underground” or “alternative” spaces that were the backbone of risk-taking and experimental art where a promoter would be able give the public an experience beyond the mainstream emporia of entertainment. This has now been stifled as a result of the 2003 Licensing Act. Art spaces are anxious, or worried about putting on controversial work, as the liceense holder is liable to prosecution for breaching any of the law’s objectives.

What London needs is unrestricted freedom to provide cultural experiences – high art, popular entertainment, controversial performance – for the people who want to see it. If an artist wanted to let off a whole load of explosives in a restricted space as a work of art, that will endanger the public, no degree of artistic conceptualising would convince me that such a performance should go ahead. My common sense would tell me so. I don’t know of any artist that would do so. However, I do know performance artists who do make use of fireworks, real blood and animals and through reasoned discussion if a promoter wants to put on the work, s/he should be allowed to do so.

The trend of lottery funded arts spaces has been conditional on restrictions on what they cannot do on their premises. London used to be raw, edgy, underground and unpredictable. The capital’s arts scene is now dominated by palatable public spectacle, family entertainment and facile celebration.

Get rid of the licensing laws NOW and the capital will be messy, crazy, exciting, alluring, dangerous and unpredictable.