Don’t forget the artists and their teams when we save live music
Last night’s Government announcement caught everyone by surprise.
Most in the music industry were anticipating an update on emergency arts funding would be revealed in this Wednesday’s summer statement, yet at 10.30pm Sunday came confirmation from DCMS of a £1.57bn support package to ensure “arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down.”
It was an arresting headline, accompanied by welcoming words from the Royal Opera House alongside Directors of the Science, Natural History, British and V&A museums, as well as the National and Tate galleries and the Music Venues Trust.
£1.57bn certainly sounds a substantial sum.
However, live music alone contributes £5.2bn annually to the UK economy and supports an estimated 200,000 jobs.
Also, the £880m being made available as grants is reserved for the entire arts sector – in the Chancellor’s words, our “world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas.” Given the devastating nationwide impact of coronavirus and the substantial losses already incurred, such resources will inevitably be stretched VERY thin.
And that’s before we mention two other elephants in the room.
First, live music has been completely shut down since March and will remain shutdown as long as social distancing is in place. The primary revenue stream for musicians is not being turned on, and nor should it be until venues are safe to return to.
Secondly, for all the references to buildings and institutions, the Government’s announcement made little mention of performers, workers or audiences.
In a sector dependent upon freelancers and small businesses, the majority of whom have struggled to access existing support packages, this has created a growing sense of unease. Their future still looks hideously uncertain.
These artists and creative workers were at the forefront of last Thursday’s Let The Music Play campaign, along with a central ask that they should receive a comprehensive support package, including an extension to the furlough scheme and help for the self-employed and sole traders.
Without that support, which alongside artists includes managers, crew, agents and promoters as well as the venues and festivals they play in, the live music sector will not function.
Annual research by Oxford Economics has repeatedly highlighted how music creators are responsible for almost half of the entire music industry’s contribution (GVA) to the UK economy. As any promoter will tell you, without the talent there isn’t a show.
This is something we need urgent clarity on.
For while £1.57bn is an astonishing sum of money that might save many things, if it’s inaccessible to artists and the people who support them, then it won’t save live music.
