Live music fans are needed to take part in a short survey to help the industry bring about the safe return of gigs as the UK reopens after lockdown.
Much uncertainty currently surrounds the return of live music and what it might involve should gigs be allowed from the set COVID recovery roadmap date of June 21, with 18 of the UK’s grassroots venues still at critical risk of closing forever and countless others in need of normality for shows at full capacity this summer.
With health passports set to be trialled to “reopen live music safely”, the Music Venue Trust have been calling on the government to bring about test events for grassroots music venues sooner rather than later so that all obstacles can be overcome in time for the summer.
Now, the UK music industry is amping its their efforts to gather important information about audience habits pre and post COVID that will be used to aid the sector’s reopening and recovery. Gig lovers can take part in this short survey, with the data used to “help the live entertainment sector plan its recovery and hopefully get back to normal as quick as possible”.
“We’ve spent the last 13 months on the campaign to reopen every venue safely and have had tremendous support from the public,” said MVT boss Mark Davyd. “We are entering what we hope will be the final phases of that campaign now.
“There is some work to do on our Red List Save Our Venues campaign to ensure that every venue has received the support it need to prevent permanent closure and the chance to reopen, but we really need to understand exactly what it is that audiences want, expect and need to see so they will feel safe and confident to return.”
Davyd continued: “The survey gives everyone that loves live music to tell us how they feel, what measures would encourage them to return and what might make them reluctant. It’s absolutely vital that everyone who loves live music takes part so we can clearly understand what venues need to do, and support them to do it.
“We are so close to bringing back grassroots live music safely, please give us two minutes of your time so we can build the tools to get it done.”
Visit here to take the survey.
When coronavirus essentially shut down live music last year, it was forecast that 83 per cent of the UK’s grassroots gig spaces could be lost forever. Thanks to the Music Venue Trust’s #SaveOurVenues campaign, the Cultural Recovery Fund and the support of the public, hundreds have been saved and less than one per cent have been permanently shut down.
Speaking to NME at the end of last year, Davyd put the saviour of UK music venues down to “people power”.
“When we look at where donations are coming from and when they spike, it is very closely linked to the coverage we receive from the NME,” said Davyd. “What that means is that NME readers are taking action and making a huge difference to keep these venues alive. We want to make it incredibly clear to the NME and its readers that the Music Venue Trust are merely standing in front of the work done by the public, by artists and by good samaritans.”
He continued: “This is the result of people power. When Music Venue Trust and NME were first talking about this crisis in March, we were looking at the very real closure of 500 venues. It’s quite an astonishing achievement and it belongs as much to the writers and readers of the NME as anyone.”
Visit here for information on how to help or donate the #SaveOurVenues campaign.
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