The trad music scene sits within the broader music industry and within wider society, and it is clear there are issues with harassment and abuse everywhere.  Our scene is a small, strong and close-knit community, and calling out these issues and being willing and strong enough to talk about them is an act of immense bravery and a positive for the trad scene, and we stand in solidarity with anyone speaking out.

We hope that the BIT Collective’s continued presence in the community can act as a deterrent for those who may consider behaving unacceptably; a solace and support for those who need it; and a place that can signpost victims to professional services that can support them through legal support or pastoral care.

Our work isn’t solely around the area of harassment and abuse, we are advocates for equality and diversity across the scene. We want traditional music to be a safe and welcoming space for everyone. By changing the gender dynamics at play, we aim to move our scene towards a different set of underlying principles - where all genders have to think about their behaviours and move positively towards real change of behaviours within social and organisational practices.

The BIT Collective believes that everybody in our scene needs to engage with this process - to examine their own privilege and background and make changes, however small or large they may be. These conversations are challenging for all people who love playing, organising, teaching and listening to traditional music but the end goal will be a more open, transparent and inclusive scene.