Stuart Wood144,000 full-time equivalent jobs and 26,000 permanent jobs in the live music industry will cease to exist by the end of 2020, according to new research.
An independent study was carried out by economists Chris Carey and Tim Chambers of Media Insight Consulting, on behalf of Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment (LIVE), a new organisation representing the UK’s live music industry.
LIVE members include the Entertainment Agents’ Association, the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM), the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the Concert Promoters Association (CPA), the Music Managers Forum (MMF), the National Arenas Association (NAA), the Production Services Association (PSA) and the Music Venue Trust (MVT).
The research also found that the music industry has seen a fall of 81% in revenue compared to 2019. This is four times the national UK average, where reductions across industries run at around 20%.
Other findings from the research include:
- In 2019 live music supported 210,000 full-time equivalent roles, as well as tens of thousands of freelancers
- In 2019, live music contributed £4.5bn to the UK economy
- 76% of live music employees were utilising the furlough scheme, as of 31 August
- The Culture Recovery Fund has had a significant impact, safeguarding around 10,000 at-risk employees
A copy of the full report can be viewed here.
Phil Bowdery, chair of the Concert Promoters Association, said: “We were one of the first sectors to close and we will be one of the last to reopen. We are currently caught in a catch-22 where we are unable to operate due to government restrictions but are excluded from the Extended Job Support Scheme as the furlough comes to an end. If businesses can’t access that support soon then the majority of our specialist, highly trained workforce will be gone.”
Andy Lenthall, general manager of the Production Services Association, said: “Those who have often found themselves overlooked and left behind throughout the last six months are the freelancers and self-employed – the people up and down the country that we rely on to bring us the live experiences we love. Things are becoming increasingly desperate for a great many people in the industry and government needs to recognise that these crucial individuals need support.”