A united front has been made by all independent and major artists and organisations from across the UK music sector, in an effort to draw attention to the urgent situation performers and venues find themselves in the wake of COVID-19.
Launched by UK Music on the 2nd of July, musicians from all aspects of the industry have flooded in with their support to highlight the importance of the sector to the UK’s overall economy. There is currently a crucial social media spin, where they are asking artists and musicians to reminisce of the memory the last time they were up on stage belting their voices out, basically wondering when we can do it all over again.
With this, and a letter signed by 1,500 of the most decorated, major artists from the rock and pop world, how long will it be – and how many more redundancies have to happen – until the UK Government provides the financial support the industry so desperately needs?
“Amazing gigs don’t happen without an amazing team behind the stage, but they’ll all be out of jobs unless we can get back out there doing what we love.”
Liam Gallagher
In the letter issued to the Secretary of State, a ‘clear timeline for reopening venues’ and ‘financial support packages’ have been declared among other key demands. It seems that we need ballpark figures of when we are estimated to reopen again so we can start preparing to reopen them safely.
But right now, we don’t really have anything to go on.
Without help, it is suggested that the music industry is estimated to lose at least £3 billion (just half of the industry value) and 60% of jobs (just under 115,000.)
Although the UK Government issued out a ‘roadmap’ a few weeks back, it was severely dismissed, as it was seen to be extremely vague in every sense of the word.
The steps are as follows:
Stage One – Rehearsals and training (no audiences, and performers must practice social distancing)
Stage Two – Performances for broadcast and live streaming (with on-stage social distancing)
Stage Three – Performances outdoors with an audience plus pilots for indoor performances with a limited audience
Stage Four – Performances allowed indoors/outdoors (but with a limited distanced audience)
Stage Five – Performances allowed indoors/outdoors (with a fuller audience indoors)
Until these businesses can operate again, which is likely to be 2021 at the earliest, government support will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies and the end of this world-leading industry.
The Concert Promoters Association, 2020
Join the movement, so we can help save our live music. From grass-root venues to the giant of the 02 arena, we need Government aid now more than ever, and the more channels it will go through, the bigger the impact will be.
GET INVOLVED!
For more support and information on this topic to see where you can help, browse the links below:
https://www.ukmusic.org/policy/let-the-music-play
Join the movement and view the signatures:
https://concertpromotersassociation.co.uk/
See it on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/UK_Music?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
On Instagram:
mvm. 
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