INTRODUCING THE BOOKED ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM

Written By Abbey Carbonneau

THE PROBLEM

For the last eight years, Book More Women has been illustrating gender representation at music festivals. We’ve counted thousands of names on festival posters to show the industry what gender disparity looks like. But the numbers are telling us that awareness alone is no longer enough.

Our latest major festival report found that individual representation of women and nonbinary musicians was just 22.6% in 2025. 8 out of the 9 major multi-genre festivals we tracked booked fewer women and nonbinary acts than the previous year.

The problem didn’t start and won’t end with music festivals. But a lineup poster is a visual representation of the incredible number of industry decisions that go into the end result. Viewed together, they’re a window into who is getting access to opportunities in mainstream music.

Inequity must be exposed and understood before it can be addressed. Data provides that clarity. It eliminates reliance of “gut feeling” and shows us where we truly stand. Once we know where we are, we can start making real, measurable steps towards change.

So, as a part of Book More Women’s relaunch, we’re shifting from presenting the data to putting it to work.

BOOKED

BOOKED is a festival accountability partnership program by Book More Women that supports music festivals in turning their commitment to diversity into measurable goals and action. We provide our partners with the data and framework for setting meaningful targets, track their progress, and celebrate their efforts and improvement.

With this program, we work directly with festival partners to create lasting change:

PART 1: THE PLEDGE

  1. Book More Women collects the festival’s current and historical data

  2. We work with the festival to set a meaningful, measurable goal for increasing gender diversity

  3. We track the pledge and collect the following year’s data

  4. We share and celebrate progress and dive deeper with organizers to understand, communicate, and tackle any difficulties and barriers to growth

PART 2: THE ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Book More Women and the festival spotlight a woman or gender-diverse artist on their lineup, sharing their music, career, and experience playing the Festival.

WHAT’S NEXT

Here’s where “BOOKED” comes in: In the next phase of the program, our partner festival will reserve a slot on their lineup for an independent artist selected through an open submission process conducted directly by Book More Women.

Our goal is to connect underserved artists directly to opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to without an extensive network behind them, creating an alternative pathway for independent musicians.

PURPOSE

We believe most people in the music industry genuinely want to see better representation on stage. We’re not here to shame or blame festivals or organizers. The BOOKED program isn’t focused on the past. If a festival is committed to change, we are here to provide the support to help them get where they need to go.

By working collaboratively with the industry, the intended outcomes of BOOKED include:

  • Festival partners receive public recognition for making a real commitment to diversity and celebrated for their progress or continued excellence.

  • Independent, underrepresented musicians gain visibility and potentially career-changing momentum.

  • Accountability and transparency become industry norms, demonstrating that equitable lineups are possible and sustainable.

We know inequity in the music industry is systemic. Book More Women is dedicated to untangling the feedback loops, networks, and root causes through data, interviews and first-hand stories from artists and industry professionals, and our podcast series MEASURED.

JOIN US

Our ultimate vision is a music industry built on transparency, accountability, and care – where gender equity is expected, representation is intentional, and artists and professionals of all identities have equal opportunities to thrive.

We can’t build this future alone. Whether you’re a fan, an artist, or an organizer, we’re inviting you to join us in this new chapter:

Festivals: We are currently accepting a limited number of partners for our BOOKED pilot program. If you’re ready to commit to measurable change with your festival, reach out to us at booked@bookmorewomen.com.

Real change happens when what matters is measured. Let’s build a better industry for everyone — together.

Abbey Carbonneau
Next

Welcome to the Next Chapter of Book More Women