Stuart WoodThe BPI/BRIT Awards are donating £54,000 to Stagehand, a charity that provides financial support to crew and technicians.
Stagehand was founded by members of the Production Services Association (PSA) in 1998. The money will see Stagehand’s Relief Fund reach £240,000, adding to previous contributions by Phonographic Performance Limited.
The contribution from the BPI and BRIT Awards comes on top of £1.62 million of BPI-co-ordinated funds donated earlier this year by the recorded music sector to charities and organisations supporting artists, managers and venues through the pandemic – bringing the total distributed to date to £1.67 million.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of the BPI, BRIT Awards & Mercury Prize, said: “Our industry is deeply interconnected and while everyone is feeling the pain of the Covid-19 pandemic in some way, no sector has felt its force to the same degree as the live business. This includes the expert technicians and events professionals who help make great performances happen.
“That’s why it’s right that, in addition to previous donations to charities benefitting artists, managers and venues, we should not overlook this important part of the music family. We rely on their skills every year in staging The BRIT Awards and the Hyundai Mercury Prize, and we’re delighted to assist the important work of Stagehand supporting live production crew.“
If you are an out of work crew member of live technician, you can apply for emergency funds at this link.