Welcome to the next edition of On The Record, thoughtful analysis on culture, entertainment, tech, fashion, music, sport, and brands. Here’s a round-up of key conversations and campaigns that caught my attention this week.
This week is about who controls the stage, and what happens when culture pushes back. From rap lyrics being challenged as courtroom evidence to ICE’s role in World Cup security unsettling global sport, creative expression and civic power are colliding in increasingly visible ways. At the same time, artists and athletes are asserting agency, whether through political speech, Olympic symbolism or halftime shows that convert identity into commercial leverage in real time. Brands are no longer orbiting culture from a safe distance. They are embedded inside debates around mobility, inclusion and infrastructure. Across music, sport and fashion, the signal is clear: visibility now carries political weight, and control over narrative has become the ultimate currency.
🎤 Rap on Trial? Giggs and 60+ leaders call for limits on art as criminal evidence
📌 More than 60 cultural and legal figures, including Giggs and Billy Bragg, have urged the government to restrict the use of artistic works as evidence in criminal trials. Coordinated by Art Not Evidence with support from JUSTICE, the open letter backs an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill that would limit when rap lyrics, drill videos and other creative material can be presented in court.
The proposed reform, tabled by Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti, would require prosecutors to demonstrate that lyrics or videos were intended to be taken literally and directly relate to the alleged offence. Campaigners argue that current practice disproportionately impacts young Black men and boys, reinforcing racial stereotypes and contributing to wrongful convictions. Legal experts stress the amendment would still allow clearly incriminating material to be admitted where genuinely relevant.
60+ signatories across music, law and civil society
Amendment would require proof of literal intent and direct relevance
Backed by JUSTICE, the Criminal Bar Association and major music bodies
💡 When lyrics become evidence, culture becomes collateral – and the industry is pushing back. 🎧
🏟️ After the Halftime: How the world streamed Bad Bunny
📌 Following his Super Bowl halftime performance, global listening to Bad Bunny surged dramatically, with simultaneous streams spiking 7x post-show. The uplift was immediate and international, with the US, Mexico, Canada, Colombia and Peru leading post-halftime consumption.
The most-streamed tracks in the hours after the performance were 1DTMF, Baile Inolvidable and Tití Me Preguntó, signalling both catalogue depth and cross-market pull. The spike underscores halftime as one of the few remaining monoculture moments capable of converting attention into instant global streaming behaviour.
7x increase in simultaneous listeners post-halftime
Top post-show tracks: 1DTMF, Baile Inolvidable, Tití Me Preguntó
Top streaming markets: US, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Peru
💡 In the streaming era, halftime is less about nostalgia and more about real-time global conversion. 📈
🎤 Lady Gaga’s cameo was strategy, not spectacle
When Lady Gaga appeared during Bad Bunny’s set, it may have read as a surprise guest moment. In reality, it was a pointed cultural statement.
Bad Bunny’s halftime booking had faced months of criticism from voices demanding an American English-speaking headliner. When he introduced Gaga, he effectively acknowledged that discourse. He gave critics what they said they wanted, but on his terms.
The symbolism ran deep.
Gaga wore a shade of blue associated with Puerto Rican rebellion
The dress was designed by queer Dominican designer Raul Lopez of LUAR
The look nodded to Celia Cruz and was paired with Puerto Rico’s national flower, the Flor de Maga
She performed Die With A Smile alongside Puerto Rican salsa band Los Sobrinos, flipping traditional crossover dynamics. Instead of a Latino artist assimilating into American pop standards, an American pop star stepped into Afro-Caribbean rhythm and instrumentation.
Gaga began singing halfway through the track with the lyric: “lost in the words that we scream, I don’t even wanna do this anymore.” The staging made language secondary. An English-language vocal sat inside a distinctly Latino musical framework.
Bad Bunny’s inclusion of Gaga was not concession. It reinforced the show’s broader message: unity without dilution. Collaboration without erasure.
💡This was power-sharing on the world’s biggest stage. 🌍
👔 Zara on the 50: Bad Bunny Just Shifted the Power Dynamic
When Bad Bunny stepped onto the Super Bowl stage in bespoke Zara, that choice carried weight.
The most-streamed artist in the world, fresh from wearing Schiaparelli menswear at the Grammys, had every couture house available. Instead, he selected high street for the most-watched broadcast in America.
That signals control.
The Look
Cream shirt and tie. Cropped chinos. Adidas trainers. A football jersey stamped “Ocasio 64”. The set opened in a sugar cane field, layered with jíbaro iconography and rural Puerto Rican references. The styling fused sport, heritage and discipline.
Mid-set, he added a cream double-breasted blazer for the duet with Lady Gaga. Same tonal precision. Same sharp silhouette.
Accessories elevated the equation. Cream gloves and a 37mm Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet. High street tailoring, haute horology.
An equivalent Zara suit retails at roughly £250. On that stage, price becomes narrative.
This Is Brand Leverage
Super Bowl halftime traditionally functions as couture theatre. Luxury house equals legitimacy.
Bad Bunny inverted the hierarchy. Authority flowed from cultural dominance, not from a fashion logo. He did not borrow status from a maison. He transferred relevance to a mass retailer.
From a brand communications lens, that is a textbook example of equity in motion. The power sits with the platform holder. The brand becomes a conduit.
The Puerto Rican Designer Conversation
There is a credible debate around why a Puerto Rican designer was not centred in the headline look, particularly within a performance saturated with Boricua symbolism. Visibility on global stages drives both narrative and commercial impact.
At the same time, the wider fashion ecosystem was layered. Lady Gaga wore LUAR, led by Dominican designer Raul Lopez, styled with the flor de maga. Dancers wore pieces by Puerto Rican designer Jomary Segarra’s Yo+.
Bad Bunny’s personal wardrobe decision reads as strategic recalibration rather than absence. Elevating accessibility itself reframed the message. Mass retail became the statement.
The Broader Shift
He delivered the first halftime show performed entirely in Spanish. Global streams spiked 7x post-performance. The US, Mexico, Canada, Colombia and Peru surged simultaneously.
Language hierarchy shifted. Fashion hierarchy shifted.
He closed holding a football that read, “Together, we are America.” The styling had already articulated the thesis.
💡 When cultural capital peaks, luxury becomes optional and accessibility becomes power.
🏈 Under Armour Takes Women’s Flag Football to Prime Time
When Under Armour drops a documentary on Prime Video, that is not content marketing. That is category building.
UA’s Lab96 Studios has partnered with SMAC Entertainment to premiere The Future Is Flag on 19 February, spotlighting the acceleration of women’s flag football through the stories of athletes including Diana Flores and Ashlea Klam.
Flag football is already confirmed for the 2028 LA Olympics. Participation is climbing across US high schools. Media rights are beginning to follow. Under Armour is planting its flag early.
This move does three smart things:
Positions UA at the centre of a fast-growing, female-led sport
Extends brand storytelling beyond product into platform
Leverages Prime Video’s scale to mainstream a movement
From a brand communications standpoint, this is long-game equity. Documentary format signals legitimacy. Streaming distribution signals ambition.
The play here is not short-term conversion. It is cultural ownership of an emerging vertical before competitors flood the zone.
💡 If women’s flag football is the next growth sport, Under Armour just secured front-row narrative rights.
👟 Bad Bunny x adidas: The BadBo 1.0 Just Took the Super Bowl
On the biggest stage in sport, Bad Bunny did more than headline halftime. He launched a silhouette.
During Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, he debuted the white BadBo 1.0, his first signature shoe with adidas, marking the first-ever global release of the BadBo line.
That timing is precision brand theatre.
A Global Drop, Not a Tease
The BadBo 1.0 in white released globally on 9 February at 10AM EST via adidas.com, the CONFIRMED app and select retailers, retailing at $160. No slow drip. No friends-and-family exclusivity. A mass global moment synced to a monoculture broadcast.
From a communications perspective, this is how you convert attention into action.
The Product Signal
All-white upper. Nubuck and hairy teasel suede. EVA midsole. Translucent outsole.
At the centre sits the new BadBo logo, a star inspired by the Puerto Rican flag. Origin as iconography. Pride coded into design.
The “I’m Everything” campaign anchors the drop, reinforcing a thesis that has defined Bad Bunny’s career: identity is fluid, authorship is personal, limitations are optional.
The shoe becomes a blank canvas. The consumer becomes the storyteller.
Partnership Maturity
This marks a new chapter between adidas Originals and Bad Bunny. Not a colourway remix. A signature silhouette.
Signature footwear shifts the relationship dynamic. The artist moves from collaborator to architect. Equity deepens. Narrative control sharpens.
Bad Bunny already sits at the intersection of streaming dominance, touring records and fashion credibility. Now he owns product at scale.
Cultural Compounding
The context matters.
First Spanish-language halftime show
7x spike in simultaneous streams post-performance
Global streaming surges across the US, Mexico, Canada, Colombia and Peru
The sneaker drop layered commerce onto cultural momentum.
This is ecosystem thinking. Music, sport, fashion and retail collapsing into one broadcast-powered launchpad.
💡 When your halftime show doubles as a global product launch, you are not just performing culture, you are monetising it in real
🏔️ Moncler Grenoble Goes Olympic Mode in Milan. With Milano Cortina 2026 in full swing, Moncler is showing up and building atmosphere.
Its performance-driven arm, Moncler Grenoble, has mounted The Beyond Performance exhibition at Portrait Milano, running through 28 February and timed to the Winter Olympics. The move anchors the brand’s return to the Games after nearly 60 years.
This is not a nostalgic flex. It is strategic heritage activation.
Heritage as Infrastructure
The exhibition retraces Moncler’s origins in Monestier-de-Clermont near Grenoble, France, moving through thematic rooms coded in the line’s signature blue, white and red.
Blue focuses on technical mountaineering legacy, including archival pieces developed with explorer Lionel Terray and the Karakorum jacket worn on the 1954 K2 ascent.
White centres Olympic credibility, from outfitting Team France at the 1968 Grenoble Games to designing 2026 uniforms for Team Brazil.
Red spotlights runway-era Grenoble, reflecting its evolution into a high-performance luxury proposition.
The mirrored, immersive set-up reframes alpine utility as contemporary spectacle.
Multi-Layered Olympic Strategy
The Milan exhibit sits within a broader Olympic ecosystem. Moncler Grenoble is sponsoring Team Brazil and co-designed uniforms with Oskar Metsavaht of Osklen. Flag bearers Lucas Pinheiro Braathen and Nicole Silveira walked in those looks at the opening ceremony.
Stateside, the brand staged a runway-meets-experience in Aspen, pulling a celebrity front row that included Kevin Costner, Tessa Thompson and Maria Sharapova.
The message is consistent: performance is not seasonal. It is structural.
Why It Matters
Luxury brands often lean on sport adjacency during Olympic cycles. Moncler Grenoble can claim direct lineage. The city of Grenoble hosted the 1968 Winter Games, where Moncler supplied the French national ski team. That origin story now becomes live content.
From a brand communications lens, this is textbook cultural timing.
Olympic spotlight amplifies technical credibility
Immersive exhibition reinforces archive depth
Global activations ensure relevance across markets
The reboot of Grenoble in 2022 as Moncler’s high-performance pillar now reads as long-term positioning, not trend chasing.
💡 When heritage aligns with the Olympic calendar, nostalgia becomes strategy and archive becomes advantage.
🎤 Madonna, Spurs and the New Celebrity Sideline Economy
Half-time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Chelsea leading. And Madonna in the Spurs end for the second day running.
One day earlier, she was pitchside watching her adopted twins, Stella and Estere, play for the under-14 girls’ academy at Tottenham Hotspur F.C..
The Queen of Pop as soccer mum is headline bait. The more interesting story is what this says about women’s football infrastructure and celebrity adjacency.
Long-Term Football Ties
Madonna’s relationship with the game runs deeper than a cameo.
She relocated to Lisbon in 2017 when her son David Banda joined Benfica’s academy. During her marriage to Guy Ritchie, she was frequently associated with Chelsea. As recently as last season, she attended men’s matches at Stamford Bridge.
Now, her daughters are embedded within Spurs’ academy system.
Spurs’ Academy Play
Spurs’ women’s academy is not a vanity programme.
Category 1 status following restructuring
Dedicated academy operations leadership
Increased integration with the first team
11 academy graduates making competitive first-team debuts in the past four years
The club is building pathway credibility as it tries to close the gap on the WSL’s upper tier. Academy development is a strategic lever, not a side project.
Madonna’s presence amplifies that ecosystem. It brings mainstream cultural visibility to a performance pipeline that typically operates under the radar.
Culture Meets Infrastructure
Celebrity attendance at men’s football has long been part of the spectacle economy. Women’s football is entering that phase with different stakes.
When a global icon is visible at under-14 academy matches, the signal shifts from entertainment to investment. It normalises elite pathways for girls. It reframes youth development as culturally relevant.
For brands and leagues, this is soft power.
Women’s football gains lifestyle cachet
Academy systems gain aspirational halo
Clubs benefit from crossover audiences
Madonna may be there as a parent. The optics travel much further.
💡 When the Queen of Pop shows up at under-14 girls’ football, the culture has already moved.
🍔 50 Cent x DoorDash turn Super Bowl into “comment section culture”
📌 50 Cent fronted DoorDash’s Super Bowl push by leaning into the thing he has always owned: beef, receipts, and internet-era trash talk. The campaign frames the Big Game as a multi-screen moment where rivalry now plays out in the comments as much as on the field, then positions DoorDash as the plug for everything you need while the chaos stays online.
In Rolling Stone, 50 uses the ad as a wider culture read, calling out ageism in hip-hop, the way New York rap is turning into podcast content, and why he still plans to make music while staying selective about where he “competes”. The through-line is brand clarity: he wants to be the headline people orbit, not another talking head in the feed.
“The Big Game has become a multi-screen moment, and today the comment section is where the conversation and the beef really happen.”
50 Cent frames modern relevance as platform + presence, not just chart cycles
DoorDash uses personality-led provocation to win attention in a cluttered Super Bowl ad environment
💡 When brands recruit a cultural antagonist, they are not buying fame, they are buying a narrative engine. 💬
Shout out to the legend that is Kofi Amoo-Gottfried and his team for bringing this to life with Maximum Effort.
⚽️✂️ After 493 days it is still ‘no win, no trim’ for Man Utd fan
In October 2024, lifelong Manchester United supporter Frank Ilett pledged he would not cut his hair until the club won five games in a row. What began as a light-hearted social post has become a 493-day endurance test, spanning three managers and a dramatic rebuild under Michael Carrick. After four consecutive wins, United drew 1-1 with West Ham, resetting the counter to zero and extending the saga.
493 days without a haircut
2.3 million social followers
100,000+ live viewers during the West Ham match stream
The challenge has evolved into a creator-era case study: how fandom becomes content, content becomes community, and community becomes commercial opportunity. With brand partnerships, a growing media profile, and more than £6,000 raised for the Little Princess Trust, Ilett’s hair now represents more than form on the pitch - it symbolises loyalty, resilience and the emotional economy of modern sport.
💡 In the attention economy, even a haircut can become a cultural asset when community belief powers the narrative. ⚽️
🎸🇺🇸 Jack White calls for Donald Trump to be arrested, impeached and jailed
Jack White has delivered his most forceful criticism yet of US President Donald Trump, using Instagram to call for his arrest, impeachment and removal from office. The musician accused Trump of racism, corruption and abusing presidential power, referencing a controversial meme and broader concerns about executive authority. White also criticised the two-party system and the electoral college, arguing structural reform is needed to prevent similar political moments in future.
White publicly called for Trump to be arrested, impeached and jailed
He referenced systemic issues including the two-party system and electoral college
The criticism continues a long-running public feud between the artist and the president
White has previously threatened legal action over unauthorised use of The White Stripes’ music in campaign materials and has repeatedly spoken out against Trump’s presidency. The latest exchange reinforces how musicians are using their platforms not just for cultural commentary but for explicit political positioning. In a polarised media landscape, artist activism now functions as both personal conviction and brand signal.
💡 For legacy artists, political speech is no longer a side note - it is a core part of cultural capital and audience alignment. 🎤
🎤🔥 Finneas pushes back after op-ed tells celebrities to ‘stay in their lane’
An opinion piece urging musicians and actors to avoid political commentary has reignited the long-running debate about celebrity activism. The article criticised artists who referenced immigration enforcement and US politics during recent awards speeches, arguing their influence should be limited to entertainment. In response, Finneas challenged the logic, noting that media outlets cannot dismiss celebrity voices as irrelevant while simultaneously amplifying and critiquing them.
National op-ed argued political speech risks alienating audiences
Debate follows Grammy moments where artists addressed immigration policy
Finneas publicly defended artists’ right to speak and questioned the double standard
The exchange lands at a moment when public scrutiny around immigration enforcement has intensified and cultural platforms, from music awards to social media, have become stages for civic expression. For artists of Finneas’s generation, political engagement is increasingly framed not as brand risk, but as responsibility.
💡 In a fragmented media landscape, telling celebrities to “stay out of politics” only confirms how powerful their platforms have become. 🎧
🎥⚖️ Don Lemon hires former federal prosecutor who resigned amid ICE probe tensions
Journalist Don Lemon has brought in a former senior Minnesota federal prosecutor to join his legal team as he fights federal charges linked to livestreaming an anti-ICE protest at a church in St Paul. The lawyer previously held a leadership role in the Minnesota US Attorney’s office and resigned alongside several colleagues following reported pressure around the handling of a federal investigation into a fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis. Lemon faces two felony charges, including conspiracy to intimidate and violating the FACE Act.
Lemon faces federal charges tied to coverage of a protest that disrupted a church service
His newly hired attorney resigned from the US Attorney’s office amid tensions over an ICE-related probe
The case unfolds against a backdrop of national debate around immigration enforcement
The development adds another layer of political complexity to a case already sitting at the crossroads of journalism, protest rights and federal power. As immigration enforcement becomes an increasingly charged cultural flashpoint, media figures covering those stories are finding themselves drawn directly into the legal and political arena.
💡When journalism, protest and federal enforcement collide, legal strategy becomes part of the cultural narrative. 🎥
⚽️🇺🇸 ICE director insists the agency will remain part of 2026 World Cup security - sparking broader backlash
During a congressional hearing, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the agency will play a central role in security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and refused to commit to pausing operations near match venues. This stance has reignited concern about how domestic immigration enforcement actions may affect international fans and the tournament’s global reputation.
ICE emphasised its role in broader security plans for the tournament, despite public and political criticism.
The agency’s ongoing enforcement actions - including debates over detentions and public safety - have fuelled wider apprehension among potential World Cup visitors.
Critics argue that visible immigration enforcement during a global event could discourage attendance and undermine fan confidence.
These concerns are now colliding with broader travel and tourism signals. Tourism data shows that international travel to the United States declined in 2025, with analysts linking the trend partly to tightened immigration policies and border enforcement, which deterred many potential visitors and cost the sector billions.
International reaction has also been visible. There have been public calls from international football leaders, including a vice-president of the German Football Association, for discussions about boycotting US-hosted matches in protest of immigration policies and safety perceptions. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has similarly weighed in, urging fans to reconsider travel to the United States.
On the fan front, reports circulating online suggest that tens of thousands of ticket holders may have already reconsidered or cancelled plans in response to immigration policy controversy and global perceptions of safety, though official verification by FIFA or ticket platforms remains limited. Independent reporting indicates that figures in the realm of nearly 17,000 ticket cancellations have been shared by supporters and activists on social media.
💡 A tournament meant to celebrate global unity now faces pressure from geopolitical anxieties; in 2026, mobility and sport are inseparable from the political climate. 🌍⚽️
👟 adidas and Willy Chavarria Celebrate NBA All-Star 2026 With Los Angeles-Inspired Collection
📌 adidas and Willy Chavarria have unveiled a Los Angeles-inspired capsule to mark 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend, blending performance product with a multi-day cultural activation. Rooted in Chavarria’s California upbringing, the collection fuses sport, heritage and community, with a collaborative Harden Vol. 10 at its centre. A dedicated sub-capsule honours the Compton Cowboys, connecting equestrian culture with basketball and streetwear. Beyond product, the partnership extends into local music and food experiences from 12 to 15 February, positioning All-Star Weekend as a broader cultural platform.
Activation ran from 12–15 February in Los Angeles
Global product release landed 13 February via CONFIRMED and adidas online
Capsule includes a collaborative Harden Vol. 10 and full apparel range
💡 NBA All-Star is increasingly a city-scale cultural moment, and brands that embed in local communities win credibility beyond the court. 🏀
🇺🇸❄️ US Olympians speak out as politics follows them to Milano Cortina
At the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, several American athletes have publicly reflected on the tension between pride in representing their country and discomfort with the current political climate. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess described “mixed emotions” about competing, while Chris Lillis spoke of feeling “heartbroken” over immigration policy. Figure skater Amber Glenn addressed concerns around LGBTQ+ rights and later reported a surge of online abuse. Snowboarder Chloe Kim and cross-country skier Jessie Diggins emphasised representing values such as inclusion and compassion, and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin struck a careful balance, calling it an honour to compete while highlighting diversity and respect.
Public criticism from senior political figures directed at named athletes
Amber Glenn reported receiving a “scary amount” of hate messages
US vice-president JD Vance was audibly booed during the opening ceremony in Milan
Former US Olympian Gus Kenworthy also revealed he had received death threats after criticising US immigration policy, adding to the wider climate of hostility. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee confirmed it is monitoring athlete safety and abusive behaviour. The episode underscores how elite athletes now operate at the intersection of sport, politics and personal brand, where speaking up carries both reputational risk and cultural weight.
💡 In 2026, the Olympic stage is no longer politically neutral - it is a live arena for identity, values and brand positioning. 🇺🇸
Ask Imran Anything: Luxury’s Flop Era, Global Market Dynamics, Fashion Careers and more
Short Summary:
In this AMA episode of The Business of Fashion Podcast, Imran Amed argues that luxury’s downturn is a structural reckoning - not a temporary dip - driven by overexpansion, inflated pricing and eroded brand meaning. He challenges simplistic global growth narratives and makes the case that sustainable success in today’s fashion industry demands sharper strategy, stronger business literacy and clearer creative point of view.
Key Takeaways:
Luxury’s slowdown is a brand credibility crisis, not just a macroeconomic cycle.
The DTC “democratisation” promise has exposed how fragile growth and cashflow models really are.
India and Africa require nuanced, long-term thinking—not “next China” shortcuts.
Creative talent now needs commercial fluency and distinct perspective to compete sustainably.
UK Music’s Infrastructure Problem: Why Brands Should Pay Attention
The UK music sector is facing a structural squeeze. Three interconnected pressures are reshaping the ecosystem:
Touring is becoming financially unviable for emerging and mid tier artists due to rising transport, crew and production costs.
Equality gaps persist, with decision making rooms, safety standards and informal networks still limiting who gets booked and supported.
Grassroots scenes are fragile, sustained by unpaid labour, shrinking access to affordable space and narrowing routes in for working class creatives, as highlighted in recent research such as Class Ceiling in Greater Manchester.
Without intervention, the pipeline contracts. Fewer artists tour. Fewer new stories are told. The wider live supply chain weakens.
How the Sector Is Responding
1. The UK Artist Touring Fund
The Featured Artists Coalition, alongside the Music Managers Forum and the Musicians’ Union, is launching the UK Artist Touring Fund in Q1 2026.
Backed by Phase One funding from the LIVE Trust, which is distributing £500,000 from voluntary £1 per ticket arena contributions, the fund will:
Provide targeted top up tour support
Help artists avoid touring at a loss
Strengthen regional venues and local economies
Test transparent, scalable funding models
2. Embedding Equity and Safety
Industry leaders are pushing for:
Representation behind the scenes, not just on line ups
Clear anti harassment and inclusion policies
Fair pay and contractual safeguards
Accountability mechanisms that move beyond optics
This is about infrastructure, not campaigns.
A Simple Guide for Brands: How You Can Help
If your brand operates in music, culture or entertainment, here is where you can act.
1. Support Touring Directly
Match fund the UK Artist Touring Fund
Underwrite regional tour legs in underserved areas
Provide transport, fuel, accommodation or production support in kind
Offer marketing resource to amplify domestic tours
Why it matters: Touring builds careers. Careers build culture.
2. Invest in Safe and Inclusive Spaces
Fund accredited safety training for partner venues
Require clear inclusion policies in sponsored events
Back organisations working on equitable booking and access
Why it matters: Inclusion must be operational, not promotional.
3. Back Grassroots Infrastructure
Sponsor affordable rehearsal or performance space
Support local promoters and community led nights
Fund development programmes for emerging talent
Why it matters: Cultural innovation starts in small rooms, not arenas.
4. Align With Long Term Value
Integrate grassroots support into ESG strategies
Measure regional and community impact
Commit to multi year partnerships rather than one off moments
Why it matters: Sustainable culture drives sustainable brand relevance.
The Strategic Reality
Artists are the economic engine of live music. If they cannot afford to tour, if access narrows and if safety is inconsistent, the entire ecosystem weakens.
For brands, this is not charity. It is supply chain resilience, cultural credibility and long term market investment.
The opportunity is clear: support the conditions that allow music to exist before it scales.
The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is the UK trade body representing the specific rights and interests of music artists. They are a not-for-profit organisation, serving a diverse, global membership of creators at all stages of their careers. The FAC is formed by artists, for artists, and they place this ethos at the centre of all they do. They are an inclusive community that advocates, educates, collaborates and researches on behalf of artists, coming together to provide a strong, collective voice within the industry and to governments domestically and abroad.
👀 Things to Be Aware Of This Week
(16–22 February 2026)
🎬 Berlin International Film Festival (12–22 Feb) – The final stretch in Berlin sees Competition premieres and the Golden Bear build to a close, with global deal-making and awards buzz peaking before Saturday’s ceremony.
👗 London Fashion Week (20–24 Feb) – The February edition opens with AW26 runway debuts and recalibrated brand statements, as British fashion sharpens its post-New York positioning.
⛷️ Winter Olympics action peaks in Italy (ongoing through 22 Feb) — The closing weekend brings finals across skating, skiing and hockey, with global audiences tuning in for medals and national pride.
🏏 2026 Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars cricket tournament concludes (13–22 Feb) — Emerging talent from across Asia competes in T20 internationals ahead of the elite cricket season.
🧧 Lunar New Year Celebrations in London (21–22 Feb) — One of Europe’s most vibrant Year of the Horse festivities with parades, cultural performances and Chinatown street celebrations.
🎱 2026 Players Championship snooker finals in Telford (17–22 Feb) — Top-tier cue sport competition in England, spotlighting the world’s leading players in a major ranking event.