SEPTEMBER | OPINION
Tom Kiehl, acting CEO of
campaigning and lobbying
group UK Music, looks at the
progress made so far and what
is left to be achieved on the
live music industry’s road to
recovery.
The small audience of
200 who were lucky
enough to see folk
rocker Frank Turner’s gig at the
1,250-capacity Clapham Grand
were delighted to finally enjoy
some live music.
However, venue manager
Ally Wolf hit the nail on the
head with his verdict on the
Government-backed pilot event
in late July before a sociallydistanced
audience.
“It can’t be the future for live
music, it can’t be the future for
venues,” he said, pointing out the
gig did not even bring enough
in to cover operating costs - and
that’s without including any
performer’s fee.
Unlike some other sectors
that can break even or make
money on reduced capacities due
to social distancing rules, it’s
just not possible for live music
venues.
Given the critical role of live
music in our industry’s complex
ecosystem, it is impossible
to overstate the scale of this
barrier to the ability of the music
industry as a whole to recover.
Before the impact of
coronavirus, our industry
contributed £5.2 billion a year to
the UK economy and sustained
more than 190,000 jobs.
More than 30 million fans
An industry on life support
attended concerts and festivals
in the UK in 2018. However, the
imposition of the lockdown in
March means more than £900
million will be wiped from the
£1.1 billion direct contribution
that live music alone was
expected to make to the UK
economy.
There have already been
thousands of jobs lost. Live
music supports a huge network
of managers, artists, agents,
technicians and suppliers, who
have no money coming in when
there is no live music. Many of
them are also freelancers who
fall through the gaps in the
Government’s support schemes.
Without sustained support
from the Government and
hardship funds, there is a real
risk tens of thousands more jobs
will be lost and talented people
may leave the industry for good.
While other sectors are slowly
emerging from the lockdown,
the future of large swathes of
the music industry, particularly
the live sector and all those who
depend on it, remains shrouded
in uncertainty. The industry is
effectively on life support.
Despite the bleak backdrop,
the industry has come together
fantastically to do all it can to
support those in the greatest
need. Our members including
PPL, PRS for Music, the BPI and
the Musicians’ Union along with
Help Musicians and many others
are doing all they can to help in
the form of hardship funds.
UK Music was also
one of backers of the
#LetTheMusicPlay campaign
to urge the Government to give
the live industry the support it
urgently needs. The campaign
called on the Government
to give the industry a clear,
conditional timeline for
reopening venues without social
distancing, a comprehensive
business and employment
support package and access to
finance and full VAT exemption
on ticket sales.
The £1.57 billion Government
support package for the arts
announced a few days after
the campaign launch was very
welcome yet it is disappointing
that individuals are not eligible
given the challenges they face.
The announcement of a VAT cut
for concerts and events in the
Chancellor’s Summer Economic
Statement was a hugely positive
step in meeting the campaign’s
objectives.
However, the issue of live
music’s timetable for restart
has become more pressing
following the Government’s
postponement of the easing of
lockdown restrictions which
would have seen indoor live
performances restart at the
beginning of August, albeit with
social distancing restrictions.
The decision to push the date
back to August 15 compounded
the pain for a sector where many
businesses and individuals were
already struggling to survive
as Government financial help
starts to taper to an end.
We all want to see all our
great musicians and performers
playing to full houses as
soon as it is safe to do so. For
now, our industry needs the
Government’s continued help
until we can get back on our feet.
In the words of Frank Turner
its “a long road out to recovery
from here, a long way to makin’
it right.”
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