Help! British stars say virus is killing off live music
● Some 1,500 acts including Ed Sheeran, Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones urged the British government on Thursday to save the country’s live music industry from collapsing because of the coronavirus.
Coldplay, Eric Clapton, Sam Smith, Rod Stewart, Liam Gallagher, Iron Maiden and Florence + the Machine were also signatories to an open letter warning that the shutdown threatened thousands of jobs. They cited new research showing that live music added £4.5bn (about R95bn) to the British economy and supported 210,000 jobs across the country last year.
“UK live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade,” they wrote in the letter to culture minister Oliver Dowden. But “with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from government yet agreed, the future for concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak”.
The British government has been easing stayat-home orders imposed in late March but live music venues remain closed. “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 worldleading industry,” the letter says.
The industry wants a clear timeline for reopening venues without social distancing requirements, and government support that includes extending the furlough scheme for workers who have been temporarily laid off.
Oasis frontman Gallagher said: “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.”
The coronavirus outbreak saw the cancellation of concerts and festivals across the country, including Glastonbury, which had been due to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis said venues, festivals, performers and crew were all facing “desperate financial challenges”.
“If the government doesn’t step up and support the British arts, we really could lose vital aspects of our culture forever,” she said.
In response, Dowden said he understood the “deep anxiety” of people working in the industry, and the desire for fixed dates for reopening.
“I am pushing hard for these dates and to give you a clear road map back. These involve very difficult decisions about the future of social distancing, which we know has saved lives. — AFP
If government doesn’t step up and support the arts, we could lose vital aspects of our culture forever