Painy Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 (edited) ANNOUNCEMENT: GRASSROOTS MUSIC VENUES RECEIVE LIFELINE Britain’s globally renowned arts, culture and heritage industries will receive a world-leading £1.57 billion rescue package to help weather the impact of coronavirus, the government announced today. Thousands of organisations across a range of sectors including the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic palaces, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema will be able to access emergency grants and loans. The money, which represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture, will provide a lifeline to vital cultural and heritage organisations across the country hit hard by the pandemic. It will help them stay afloat while their doors are closed. Funding to restart paused projects will also help support employment, including freelancers working in these sectors. This new package will be available across the country and ensure the future of these multi billion-pound industries are secured. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “From iconic theatre and musicals, mesmerising exhibitions at our world-class galleries to gigs performed in local basement venues, the UK’s cultural industry is the beating heart of this country. This money will help safeguard the sector for future generations, ensuring arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down.” Oliver Dowden Culture Secretary said “Our arts and culture are the soul of our nation. They make our country great and are the lynchpin of our world-beating and fast growing creative industries. I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations. Today we are announcing a huge support package of immediate funding to tackle the funding crisis they face. I said we would not let the arts down, and this massive investment shows our level of commitment.” Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer said: “Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they’re the lifeblood of British culture. That’s why we’re giving them the vital cash they need to safeguard their survival, helping to protect jobs and ensuring that they can continue to provide the sights and sounds that Britain is famous for.” This unprecedented package include a £1.15 billion support pot for cultural organisations in England delivered through a mix of grants and loans. This will be made up of £270 million of repayable finance and £880 million grants. The new funding will also mean an extra £188 million for the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland (£33 million), Scotland (£97 million) and Wales (£59 million). Music Venue Trust warmly welcomes this unprecedented intervention into Britain's world class live music scene. We'd like to thank the Secretary of State and the team at DCMS for the opportunity to work closely together throughout this crisis to develop genuine solutions to the challenges faced by grassroots music venues. This fund provides the opportunity to stabilise and protect our vibrant and vital network of venues and gives us the time we need to create a plan to Reopen Every Venue Safely. On behalf of every grassroots music venue in the UK we would like to take this opportunity to thank every music fan, every artist, every activist, and every one of you, our people, who got this done. 'Without people, you're nothing' - Joe Strummer. We have you, and that's everything. Thank you. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1464346200439429&id=201418973398831 Edited July 6, 2020 by wateroftyne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 (edited) Not before time! Edited July 5, 2020 by ezbass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Spot on. Thankfully I don`t make my living from the entertainment industry but hopefully this will provide some help to those who depend on it to live. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 This is very good news indeed, although it will do nothing for people like me, who's only earnings are from pub/party/wedding gigs. It's very welcome anyway. Frank 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 at last some positive news for our music venues. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53302415 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Great news, and the feeling appears to be it is more generous than anticipated. Still no news on when venues will be reopening but nevertheless a massive boost for the industry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) While I'm glad and grateful that the government is offering £1.57bn, I'm going to hold off jumping for joy until I see how the funding is being dispersed. The £1.57bn is described as being a rescue package for "the arts" and the prime minister and Oliver Dowden and Rishi Sunak are quoted as saying that figure is to cover museums, cinemas, galleries and theatres as well as the opera and classical venues which already receive heavy corporate sponsorship in many cases. It's not necessarily a "bailout" for the music industry. 90% of independent festivals and venues are facing going under in 2021, and I've yet to see any mention that this is going to be addressed. The UK music industry is a huge ecosystem that goes way beyond just the musicians on stage. Obviously we all know that many concerts, gigs, shows or recitals (if you're refined!) require a team of often unseen staff and workers doing their best to make it happen. So yeah, there's the band onstage, but there's plenty of other heroes and heroines doing their bit too, many of whom will be freelancers. Like road crew and drivers. Techs and backline people. Sound crew. Light crew. Maybe a DJ or two. Bar staff and cleaners. Door and cloakroom staff. Promoters and venue staff. Or if it's a big show or a festival there'll be caterers. Portaloos and the people who install and manage them. Artists liaisons and site management, etc, etc. There's often an army of people of people behind every show working their horses off to make it happen. It's not just the folks onstage, it's the entire industry that supports and enables the show to happen. It's an emotive issue for me as I rely solely on live and studio earnings to pay my bills. And it irks me that we've had to go cap in hand to a government that clearly didn't want to get involved, just to get a bone thrown to us. Well, maybe to us, maybe not to us, it waits to be seen how the bailout package funds will be allocated. Naturally I'm apprehensive about how much of the £1.57bn will actually "bailout" the music industry. France gave €7bn to save their music and culture industries back in May without having to be lobbied for it so £1.57bn isn't exactly 'world beating' really. Sorry. I've gone on a rant! 😂 I rarely rant on about anything and I don't want anyone to think I'm having a political dig at anyone. This, to me, is a cultural issue, not left or right or centre, and it affects so many of us. "Cause even if you're not gigging, you might still want to go to see live music, or buy records, CDs or tour merch. Or you might have friends and family who are freelancing as roadies or techs and their careers could be on the line. Instrument manufacturers and repair techs are at risk right now 'cause if musicians go to the wall then everyone who depends on them go too. 'Cautiously optimistic' is how I'd describe how I feel about it, but I'm not holding my breath. (Only cos I need both hands to type and my fingers are crossed) Right. Rant over. Enjoy your day BC folks and let's stay hopeful about our musical futures. ✊ Edited July 6, 2020 by meterman speling 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Whatever is done will never be 100% right, but it’s a start, great that this is now being looked into. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 If this is for 'the arts' - the usual suspects will get the lions share. This, as impressive as it sounds, won't even scratch the surface. 😎 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 3 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said: If this is for 'the arts' - the usual suspects will get the lions share. This, as impressive as it sounds, won't even scratch the surface. 😎 'Usual suspects' is right. I've already had confirmation that the Royal Opera House is in line for funding. Which on the one hand, is fine. Opera and classical is cool (in my books at least) and it would be a shame if it all disappeared in this country and went abroad. But ROH and most of the other main players in that world receive heavy corporate sponsorship already. Even the smaller concerns like my old local, Holland Park in West London, receive decent corporate coin in sponsorship for their outdoor opera events which are village green-sized affairs. Until late last night, this was the state of play: I've often wished I was based in France but even more so now! But yeah, 'cautious optimism' is where I'm at. Let's see what develops over the coming days and weeks. Time really is tight for the music industry in the UK. Wait and see, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 ^ ^ ^ my pc won't download this ? 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 £1.57bn is peanuts. Too little, too late for many small arts businesses. I know several self-employed people who've made their livings in the arts sector. Not only have their revenues completely dried up, they got zilch from the government, no furlough money, no universal credit. A lot of them are only getting buy through the kindness of family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 8 hours ago, Barking Spiders said: £1.57bn is peanuts. Too little, too late for many small arts businesses. I know several self-employed people who've made their livings in the arts sector. Not only have their revenues completely dried up, they got zilch from the government, no furlough money, no universal credit. A lot of them are only getting buy through the kindness of family and friends. Hardly peanuts, and it puts us second in the list quoted above. Obviously I am arts and music inclined, but even I can see that getting manufacturing going again is far more important. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 To make a fair comparison, 11% of France's €7bn is going towards supporting the mime artist community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 On 06/07/2020 at 13:00, gareth said: Very good. Liked that 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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