The recently introduced changes in licensing law have produced an environment where music and dance, activities which should be valued and promoted in a civilized society, are instead being threatened by inappropriate regulation. We call on the Prime Minister to recognize this situation and take steps to correct it.

There is a government move to make it very difficult for musicians to perform live in small venues, or for schools, pubs and charities to raise money for causes through musical events. The new legislation is destroying the central role music and composing has on every individual and communities lives.

If you circulate this to your musician (and non-musician!) friends, all each person has to do is go to the government's petitions website below, give your name, email and address - it takes about 30 seconds.

And it could make a vital difference to the nurturing of community music making, and enabling young musicians to find their feet in the performing world.

The live music/licensing e-petition now has nearly 30,000 signatures.

This is good, especially in just under a month - and there are five more months in which people can sign.

But the petition needs to do much better to make an impression on ministers, and to encourage DCMS to implement music-friendly amendments.

Please see link below ...