DigitalFems proudly concludes GenderMusicTech, a groundbreaking project supported by the LiveMX grant (Creative Europe), aimed at closing the gender gap in the MusicTech industry through education, advocacy, and innovation.
Over the course of one year, GenderMusicTech delivered a powerful mix of training, research, and industry engagement to empower women and gender-diverse professionals in digital music ecosystems. At its core, the project addressed systemic inequality—such as underrepresentation in tech roles, algorithmic bias, and metadata invisibility—by providing tools, knowledge, and spaces for change.
What we achieved
🟣 Workshops & Training
We organized 9 hybrid-format workshops across different European cities—including Athens, Milan, Bologna, Vic, Berlin, and Bilbao—embedded within live music festivals to ensure direct industry exposure. These sessions trained 285 women and gender-diverse professionals in essential digital skills, covering topics like AI-generated music, metadata management, algorithmic bias, and digital distribution strategies.
🟣 Hackathons & Research
We hosted 2 hackathons exploring gender bias in music recommendation systems and metadata categorization. These hands-on events led to innovative proposals and deepened sector-wide understanding of how data structures affect artist visibility. Alongside this, we launched a European survey and developed the Gender Music Metadata Manifesto, a key advocacy tool now in dialogue with industry standards bodies like DDEX.
🟣 Advocacy & Community Building
Two major networking events brought together over 150 professionals across the European MusicTech landscape, laying the groundwork for future collaborations. Our outreach efforts created a database of 300+ women and gender-diverse professionals interested in digital upskilling and systemic change. Campaigns reached more than 100,000 users through social media, festivals, and media partnerships.
Challenges Around Metadata
Another core challenge was researching and proposing solutions to redesign metadata input processes to include gender data, and supporting new approaches to training machine learning systems with accurate, inclusive information. In response, we launched the Gender Music Metadata Manifesto, developed a conceptual framework, and built strong relationships with key stakeholders to pave the way for structural changes in the industry.
Why This Matters
The digital transformation of the music industry has intensified existing inequalities. Without gender-aware metadata, recommendation algorithms perpetuate invisibility and reinforce biased systems of discovery and remuneration. The GenderMusicTech project has brought this issue to light, actively engaging in research and advocacy to design more equitable solutions. From hybrid learning formats to metadata activism, this initiative showcases how feminist tech interventions can reshape entire industries from the inside out.
What’s Next?
Thanks to the success of this first phase, GenderMusicTech has secured new funding for 2025 and is expanding its reach to:
Finalize a technical proposal for gender metadata inclusion in music industry standards.
Scale up training programs, including collaborations with universities and vocational institutions.
Strengthen policy advocacy and maintain direct engagement with platforms, regulators, and standards bodies.
🟣 GenderMusicTech is more than a project—it’s a growing movement for digital justice in music.
👉 Learn more at: www.gendermusictech.org
