57 % of respondents have received a payto-play offer from a venue or promoter …

… but only 7 % would consider accepting the offer

with 25 % saying “ maybe ”

A large majority ,

86 % , feels

pay-to-play devalues live music and / or the service musicians provide

52 % also feel musicians who accept pay-to-play gigs are undermining other musicians

and another 30 % say they “ somewhat ” feel that way

52 % think there are no situations in which it is acceptable for a venue / promoter to expect a band to pay to play …

32 % think there are maybe acceptable situations

SPEAKING OUT

What is your experience and / or opinion regarding the practice of pay-to-play ? Have you ever accepted or refused a pay-to-play gig and , if so , why ?

“ It is a near rite of passage here in Halifax for ‘ all age shows .’ The upstart bands not yet worthy of asking for appearance money are made to feel this is their only option . Promotion is the promoter ’ s job ; the musician ’ s job is to get good and perform well , period .”

“ Pay to play is what keeps being a musician from becoming a valid career . Musicians who do this are killing the industry and keeping their fellow musicians poor . We are trapped in an endless cycle of silly music teachers selling tickets to their students and calling it a music scene . It ’ s ridiculous and unsustainable .”

“ Pay to play is mostly affecting acts that are trying to get a foothold in the business and create a buzz . Older , established acts don ’ t have to face that scenario as much ; however , there seems to be a

new trend where even large venues want the performer to take out liability insurance . We ’ ve been hired by them to play at their venue and somehow we ’ re responsible if someone acts disruptive , causes someone harm , or a patron slips and falls . And it ’ s not a small amount ! I ’ ve been told I had to take out $ 2 million in liability insurance . Don ’ t venues carry insurance for this sort of thing and why is it being passed on to the artists ?”

“ I ’ m a hip-hop artist out of Midland , Ontario . Every time I have performed in or around

my area , I have had to sell my own tickets to cover costs for the promoter throwing the event . At times it can be pretty difficult . As artists , we already have many other costs , etc . just to make it to the event . It has even made me take a break from performing due to the pressure and obligation of feeling I have to sell these before a certain deadline , then basically hand over all the ticket money ( making a little bit of drinking money personally ). It puts a lot of unwanted stress on an artist .”