The UK Council of Music Makers (CMM) has called on the government and Arts Council England to prioritise the reopening of venues as part of the £1.57bn COVID-19 culture funding package.
The coalition, which includes the Featured Artists Coalition, Ivors Academy, MMF, MPG and the Musicians’ Union, said in an open letter that supporting venues is key to the recovery of the music industry.
The letter reads: “It is beneficial to our wider industry – and its vast economic contribution – to encourage and fund music venues (and other businesses) to reopen safely, with limited capacity and following Covid-safe guidelines, rather than supporting continuing closures.
“CMM understands the support of infrastructure such as venues and festivals is key to aid the recovery and revitalisation of the music industry ecosystem and we urge you to implement this with consideration to the supply chain of such organisational funding recipients.”
The CMM also notes that opening venues “primes the pump” to allow money to move through the supply chain, adding that funding mothballing of venues is “counterproductive.”
“Our collective memberships – musicians, songwriters, composers, producers, featured artists, and their managers are vital to this restart and looking holistically at how funding is best used, you must consider their all-important place within the ecosystem.
“Funding mothballing of institutions serves to be counterproductive and much less beneficial for the wider economy than a subsidised restarting of economic activity. We call for this to be held in consideration when choosing to support organisations with this vital cultural fund.”
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