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80% Male Line-Ups Spark Gender Equality Debate in UK Dance Music
Open letter backed by Jyoty, HAAi and Jaguar highlights regression in festival and club diversity for 2026
An open letter backed by Jyoty, HAAi and Jaguar is reigniting urgent conversations around gender equality in festival and club line-ups across the UK.
Launched by the collective Not Bad For A Girl, the letter calls out what it describes as a clear regression in representation ahead of the 2026 festival season.
“When did underrepresented artists stop getting booked?”
The letter opens with a direct challenge to the industry:
“When did underrepresented artists stop getting booked on line-ups?”
Not Bad For A Girl has been advocating for non-male artists for seven years. Early on, the group hoped the UK might reach 50/50 representation across major festival line-ups by 2030. Instead, in early 2026, the data suggests the industry is moving further away from that goal.
The numbers behind the concern
According to the collective’s research into two major UK festivals announced for 2026:
At one event, nearly 80 percent of total acts are men. Only one woman appears across the first two rows of the poster, and all eight headline slots are taken by all-male acts.
At another, 87 percent of artists across the top eleven lines are men. There are no openly trans or non-binary artists represented.
The issue extends beyond festivals. A Manchester club recently announced a new season in which 75 percent of booked artists are men. Meanwhile, a London club revealed a programme that includes one line-up made up entirely of male acts.
The collective compares this to previous progress highlighted in research from The Jaguar Foundation, which found that female and non-binary representation on festival line-ups increased from 14 percent in 2018 to 28 percent in 2022. The current figures raise a pressing question: how are some events back near 10 percent?
Read this next: New Study Reveals Only 22% of DJs Booked in Ibiza Are Women or Non-Binary
Why live bookings matter
The letter emphasises that live bookings are the backbone of an artist’s career. Fewer bookings lead to reduced income, lower visibility, weaker leverage with agents and promoters, and fewer opportunities to progress into headline positions.
Over time, this creates a damaging cycle in which artists are labelled “too risky” precisely because they were never given the opportunity to build momentum.
The collective acknowledges that the live events sector is currently under financial pressure. Ticket sales are fragile, and promoters are operating in an unstable market. However, the letter argues that, in an industry shaped by decades of structural inequality, risk aversion disproportionately widens the discrimination gap.
“If we don’t address line-up inequality now, we risk shutting off whole groups of people from the industry and losing the unique richness of our culture.”
A call to four key stakeholders
Rather than naming specific festivals or clubs, the letter focuses on action.
“We’ve chosen not to name names because the market is hard enough, and we don’t believe finger-pointing leads to positive change. Constructive, respectful conversations are far more effective.”
The collective outlines clear steps for four groups:
Promoters and bookers
Diversify line-ups at every level, including headliners. Support women and gender-diverse artists with tangible growth opportunities. Represent the full spectrum of your audience.
Fans
Use your spending power intentionally. Where audiences invest their money directly influences future booking strategies. Support events that prioritise diversity.
Artists
Implement inclusion riders. Ask to see the full line-up before confirming bookings, and advocate for stronger representation. Use your platform to elevate emerging and underrepresented talent.
Everyone who cares
Sign the letter. Speak up when inequality appears. Engage in productive conversations that can drive long-term change.
Community at the core
In its closing message, Not Bad For A Girl reinforces a principle central to dance music culture:
“Dance music has always been built on community, and now more than ever, we need to work together to build a better future.”
The open letter has already received early support from figures including Jamz Supernova, Steven Braines, Saoirse, and representatives of the Featured Artists Coalition, among others.
As the 2026 festival season approaches, the debate around equality in dance music line-ups appears far from over.
Sign the letter via the official form here. Speak up when inequality appears and engage in productive conversations that can drive long-term change.
H/T Mixmag