Making the music tour community safe, equitable & inclusive.
What happens on the road stays on the road.
Until now.
We know that discrimination and sexual harassment happen in the working environment of a music tour, both in obvious ways and quietly beneath the surface.
We know this is wrong, yet our (in)actions show otherwise.
Over the past ten years, the tour industry has put new procedures in place to deal with everything from unflattering social posts to active shooter training, and now, COVID-19.
It’s time to do what we know is right.
The problem.
MUSIC TOURS are created and executed by entertainment experts from the fields of performance, lighting, sound, video, trucking, security, staging, promotion and more.
Typically these experts are employed by the ARTIST or individual VENDORS to create, service & support the TOUR, often traveling to work in multiple cities.
ARTISTS are driven to be the first to showcase new technology on stage and they turn to master-class level professionals for output of music, fashion, design, production, engineering and logistics. This is Olympic- level performance from a wide swath of personalities, defined and propelled by innovation, talent and precision.
And yet, the infrastructure for how TOURS treat each other is sloppy. Even though there are often more than 100 people on tour together, the use of multiple vendors has historically meant no central HR for each tour.
When it comes to sexual-harrassment and discrimination, ARTISTS and their TOUR MANAGERS are expected to ‘set the right tone’ and CREW are quietly asked to sign a handbook.
Most CREW live together on a 40 ’x 9’ bus, but no training is in place for appropriate behavior. Poorly behaved personnel are seldom fired and at most, moved to another ‘less sensitive’ tour. CREW MEMBERS who report a grievance have been asked to find a tour that would suit them better.
MANAGERS often clarify the ZERO TOLERANCE rule for posting unapproved images on social media, but never so much as mention the TOUR’s position on harassment and discrimination.
The culture of MUSIC TOURING is proudly non-corporate. And with this freedom comes the responsibility to offer an equitable work environment to ALL TOURING CREW. Frequently, the belief is that elevating the conversation creates liability. But these liabilities exist and are a threat to the livelihood and character of EVERYONE IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
The solution.
SAFETOUR believes in two simple steps to begin quantifiable change in the safety of touring for all. First, artists must create a harassment-free work environment for their team by providing training to every tour member that will teach and empower equitable behavior.
Second, managers must put informed accountability practices in place on the tour.For too long, harassment training has been designed to tell people what not to do. Our training program, powered by Hollaback!, is designed to show crew how to build a safe, inclusive workplace environment together. We teach people to take action, and to reach across their own identities to ally with others and establish a united front against harassment each time we witness it.
TOGETHER we can bring widespread change to touring, tour culture and the culture of the music business. In today’s times, you hear a lot of ARTISTS say, “I want to do better.” Making their tour an OFFICIAL SAFETOUR is a first step toward real, measurable change.
