'Guide to a respectful and professional work culture in the music industry' is a new publication to help create a respectful and professional work environment in the music industry.

Industry challenges are neither new nor undocumented. A report from 2022 showedthat as many as 64% of women and 44% of men in the music industry have experienced inappropriate behaviour or sexual harassment.

"The numbers speak for themselves: there is a need for a cultural change in our work environment. We want to make it easier for everyone to navigate safely and with dignity in an industry where the professional and personal boundaries often blur. To succeed, we need to challenge old habits and ingrained attitudes that together form structural stumbling blocks," says Tobias Stenkjær, chairperson of DPA, one of the 15 organisations in the Safe Space Network.

Respect is everyone's responsibility

Everyone has a responsibility to promote a more responsible music industry, where respect for each other is at the centre and creativity can thrive. To translate vision into action, the Safe Space Network has developed six principles of togetherness that apply to all member organisations in the network:

Safe Space Network socialising principles

  • Respect personal boundaries
  • Be professional
  • Take responsibility for your own actions
  • Respect and recognise differences
  • Be inclusive
  • Reach in

Marianne Lewandowski, Vice President of the Danish Artist Association, who is also part of the Safe Space Network, says:

"We must all commit to creating change by incorporating these principles into our daily work. In the Safe Space Network, we've thought about what it should be like to work in the music industry. And with the action guide, we make these thoughts more concrete. And that's exactly what's important - to create concrete changes in everyday life. The advantage of guidelines is that we naturally become more aware of our own and others' behaviour and have a common understanding of what we want it to be like to work in the music industry."

It is the hope of the Safe Space Network that the guide can be widely used in the industry. The aim is to inspire more players in the industry to engage in the necessary dialogue about developing respectful environments and good interaction principles, and how to deal with any cases of inappropriate behaviour.

Safe Space Network

The guide was developed by the Safe Space Network, which consists of 15 organisations from the music industry with a common desire to prevent inappropriate behaviour and promote a considerate and professional working environment. Through knowledge and concrete tools, the network aims to create better conditions and increased safety in the music industry.

In 2023, the network opened the anonymous phone line, Safe Roomwhere everyone from the music and culture industry can share their experiences and get a handle on emotions, rights and where to go for further help.

Get more information

Find the shopping guide and download it here.