Joe Gallop#WeMakeEvents has launched the new campaign, titled ‘The Government Can’t See Us, Can You?’, to call on MPs to provide urgent relief to the sector.
The campaign’s website features the stories of live event workers told in their own words through “powerful” short videos. Each person included has details of their Income reduction over the last year as well as the government support they have received.
The campaign has highlighted that the industry is at “breaking point” with a survey showing that 93% of live event workers having lost income due to Covid-19 and 43% of live event companies saying they will collapse by June 1 without help from the Government.
#GovtCantSeeUs says it is focused on how the Government has frequently “appeared blind to the impacts on the supply chain” and has also recently written an open letter to chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak.
The campaign, which was set up by PLASA in April 2020 and has previously held various public demonstrations , has asked the public to use their voices through social media and write to their MPs to address the “crippling” situation.
It has outlined three requests: ‘Visibility in Government’, ‘Support to Survive’ and a ‘Pathway to Reopening’.
Peter Heath, #WeMakeEvents steering committee member, said, “The live event supply chain has been all but unable to work for almost a year – we have been one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. Yet, we have received no targeted assistance and been excluded from much of the support said to be for businesses that are unable to open. As a result, the live event supply chain is on the brink of collapse.
“This can be stopped if the Government sees the human and economic devastation being inflicted on the live events supply chain, extends the whole sector the lifelines we need to survive until it is safe for live events to reopen, and works with us to build a practical roadmap for reopening. We hope this campaign moves the Government to take these vital steps.”