Over 1200 sign letter to save music sector

Organisations and musicians back letter to Chancellor asking for support to #MakeMusicWork

As the controversy continues over the Government’s advert featuring Fatima, a ballet dancer suggesting she retrain to work in cyber security, over 1200 organisations and musicians have signed a joint letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Organised by the Musicians’ Movement and the Incorporated Society of Musicians, the letter is part of their campaign to#MakeMusicWork and save jobs in the arts sector. The proposals are also in response to Ministers stating that musicians jobs are not viable. They are viable – indeed they are essential and in many other countries direct support has been given to creatives to ensure that they can continue to work.

The signatories include organisations like the London Symphony Orchestra, Ivors Academy,  Musicians Answering Service and the Featured Artists Coalition as well as individuals like Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, Tasmin Little OBE and Nicola Benedetti.

The letter calls for two measures to save the music sector. First, we are proposing a new Freelance Performers Support Scheme to facilitate the reopening of music venues under social distancing and see the return of live performances. This funding model would combine grants for venues and a guaranteed fee for each performer with a cultural exemption on VAT for tickets.

With a guaranteed fee for each performer even if performances are cancelled, this proposal puts freelancers at the heart of a sustainable funding model for venues.

Secondly, we are calling on the government to deliver on its pledge to ensure parity between employees and the self-employed by maintaining the existing level of support provided by the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and expanding the eligibility criteria.

We are keen to work with others in the sector to develop this proposal further and build support for it so signatures are still be collected on the letter. Some other notable signatories so far include the Royal Philharmonic Society, Sinfonia Cymru, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Help Musicians (the UK’s largest independent music charity).

Tens of thousands of jobs at risk in the UK’s cultural sector, so it is critical for government to provide a viable route back to work, allowing musicians to both support their families and start contributing once again to our communities and national life.

The Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Chief Executive, Deborah Annetts, said:

‘Arts venues and performers need support that makes it financially viable to reopen within social distancing safety requirements. With musicians’ livelihoods on the line, we are calling on the UK government to provide funding that doesn’t just help the arts survive, but enables them to thrive once again.’

Managing Directors of Musicians’ Movement, Phil Meadows & Christopher Barrett said:

‘#MakeMusicWork represents the overwhelming consensus in the arts sector that freelancers are the bedrock of our industry. These principles have the potential to reunite local communities whilst simultaneously supporting creators, performers and venues.’

Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, Founder, Artistic & Executive Director of Chineke Foundation said:

‘Freelance musicians have borne the brunt of the shutdown of the entertainment industry over the past seven months. Their situation is precarious even during normal operating times, but last-minute cancellations of concerts due to lockdown regulations could be the difference between meeting the rent and not.

‘We are in danger of a whole generation of talent being lost without the means or commitment to a solid recovery for the cultural industries. Therefore, I am advocating that the government introduces a guaranteed minimum fee that protects freelance musicians in the event of last-minute concert cancellations.’

About the proposals

The grant, distributed by Arts Councils, is based on a venue’s full capacity and designed to cover the loss of income due to the reduced ticket sales required by social distancing guidelines. As a safeguard, venues and promoters will need to be pre-approved and meet eligibility criteria, including demonstrating their activity before coronavirus. This grant would be in addition to the income generated from ticket sales on reduced, socially distanced performances.

Because this proposal is based on a venue’s fixed total capacity, it has three key advantages:

1. It is simpler to calculate than relying on available capacity, because that rises and falls as government guidance changes.
2. It requires less administration and provides income for start-up costs, unlike a model based on ticket sales.
3. There is no regional disparity and bias between types of performance.

In addition, a cultural exemption on VAT for all tickets in both the commercial and non-commercial sector would maximise the impact of the grants and build on the success of the previous reduction in VAT – from 20% to 5% until January 12 2021. This would not just benefit to musicians but would also contribute to the well-being of communities that they work in.

The proposal would rebuild audience confidence for attending live events and keep the industry ready for a full return once all safety restrictions are removed at the end of the current crisis. Its success would depend on an accessible and efficient application system as well as the payment of grants even if government guidance changes at short-notice at either a national or local level. We anticipate that the Arts Councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland together with Creative Scotland will be best-placed to manage the grant-making. Naturally, the scheme would need to be updated regularly in response to the ever-changing situation and would be funded by new government spending.