Government launches '˜Music Mission' to China in bid to boost exports

UK artists currently make up around 5% of the acts in the top 100 of the Chinese charts and digital revenues in the country increased by 69% in 2015.

Hoping to tap into the lucrative market, the Department for International Trade will travel to the country next week alongside representatives from industry bodies for a week-long trip made up of conferences, artist showcases and visits to music companies.

The announcement comes as it was revealed singer-songwriter Lucy Rose and Northern Irish singer Ciaran Lavery were among 12 rising acts to benefit from the latest round of Music Export Growth Scheme (Megs) funding.

Megs, which has awarded nearly £2 million of investment in UK artists, helps British musicians build on their domestic success and break overseas markets

The global success of artists such as Adele, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran helped music exports rise by almost 10% in 2015, while contributing £4.1 billion to the UK economy.

International Trade Minister Mark Garnier said: “The UK is a global leader in the music industry - from Adele to Ed Sheeran, music is one of our most important exports.

“We are now launching our ‘Music Mission’ to China so we can tap into the lucrative Asian market as part of an outward-looking Global Britain.”