Governments around the world are scrambling to keep up with the implications of the coronavirus pandemic: not just in terms of individual livelihoods, but healthcare provision, public information campaigns and growing lockdowns (to name but three). Meanwhile, entities within the music industry are stepping up their efforts to tell those governments to be aware of the challenges being faced in our sector.
Collecting societies body CISAC published an open letter to governments yesterday, for example, suggesting that creators of music and other art are “in a uniquely fragile position… today, and in the coming weeks and months, creators will be among the worst affected by the crisis”. It’s hoping for more governments to provide emergency funding for the creative sectors (as in France) and/or other protective measures like tax and social security breaks (as in Argentina, Chile and Peru).
In Australia, meanwhile, the live sector is criticising the government there for what it sees as a slow response to its call for an A$650m (around $374m) package to prevent the live industry from collapsing. According to Pollstar, Live Performance Australia chief executive Evelyn Richardson said, “Without a targeted, immediate and substantial support package, there will be no bridge to recovery for these companies and they will die.”
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