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A wide array of artists including Blossoms, Radiohead and The Courteeners have lent their support to today’s global day of action for the events industry, which is aiming to prevent jobs being lost, workers going bankrupt and catastrophic damage being done to the £5.2 billion music scene.
With April 2021 being earmarked as the earliest possible date that full capacity gigs might be able to return, the #WeMakeEvents campaign has planned an international day of action today (September 30) to make their cause widely known.
The new initiative will see artists, music venues and events professionals from over 25 countries coming together to mark a new and wider phase of the campaign – with plans to illuminate venues in red with the hashtag #WeMakeEvents to reflect the red alert crisis.
We’re calling for urgent financial support from the UK government to help protect the huge number of people working in the live music & event industry whose futures are now under real threat…#WeMakeEvents@WeMakeEventsoff #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/A7l1rmEXhg
— Courteeners (@thecourteeners) September 30, 2020
Today we are once again calling on the government to urgently support the live events sector which is in desperate need of financial aid…#WeMakeEvents @WeMakeEventsoff #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/LHXVBM6YUf
— B L O S S O M S (@BlossomsBand) September 30, 2020
What we do onstage is only part of the equation of putting on a good show. Our crew are at the heart of making it happen for all of us, band and audience alike. They’re incredible and that’s why we’re supporting #WeMakeEvents and invite you to do so as well, if possible. CEJPT x pic.twitter.com/QD5AIrZ4Gu
— Radiohead (@radiohead) September 30, 2020
Lending their support, Blossoms wrote on Twitter: “We are once again calling on the government to urgently support the live events sector which is in desperate need of financial aid. Without this vital support many highly skilled people, including our own friends & colleagues, working throughout the industry face losing their careers, businesses and livelihoods. We need the government to act now before it’s too late.”
Radiohead added: “What we do onstage is only part of the equation of putting on a good show. Our crew are at the heart of making it happen for all of us, band and audience alike. They’re incredible and that’s why we’re supporting #WeMakeEvents and invite you to do so as well, if possible. CEJPT x.”
The live events sector is in crisis. Today, we join with many others to call on the government to provide urgent support to protect an industry which means so much to so many, and provides billions to the economy. #WeMakeEvents
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@Fineline_FL) pic.twitter.com/U3oUL9OHFg
— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) September 30, 2020
The Courteeners also leant their support to the campaign, calling on the government to protect “people working in the live music & event industry whose futures are now under real threat…”
You can view a wider selection of support for the campaign below.
#WeMakeEvents#LetTheMusicPlay @WeMakeEventsoff pic.twitter.com/tIcK8pYnhZ
— Libertines (@libertines) September 30, 2020
We are proud to support the #WeMakeEvents campaign. So many lives have been devastated by the sudden stop to the live music industry. This is a forgotten industry that is desperate for help. Please support in any way you can. https://t.co/4e0iGO4lwQ pic.twitter.com/VxdWRYRNu8
— I D L E S (@idlesband) September 30, 2020
We once again join together with our friends & colleagues in the music industry to call for government to urgently provide financial aid to help protect the live music & event sector. Please show your support and share the message #WeMakeEvents @WeMakeEventsoff #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/vwot42szXG
— The Coral (@thecoralband) September 30, 2020
We need our government to recognise that immediate action must be taken to protect our events industry. No crew, no show, no joy. Howay. #wemakeevents pic.twitter.com/NgK3qs5QcC
— Nadine Shah (@nadineshah) September 30, 2020
The latest action comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced details of the government’s new Winter Economy Plan for the next six months, prompting the music industry to hit back over the plan’s lack of support for many musicians, self-employed and staff from venues that were forced to close due to COVID-19.
Industry and nightlife figures then doubled down on their criticism earlier this week after Health and Care Minister Helen Whately claimed that it “doesn’t make sense” to keep supporting jobs in the beleaguered sector.
Today’s day of action follows music crews marching in Manchester last month to demand action from the government. They warned that over 100,000 jobs could be lost in the events industry if government support is not received.
The distribution of the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund will also begin in October – but many music spaces are expected to not receive funding and be forced to close for good.
You can donate to the Save Our Venues campaign here, the StageHand fund here and the #WeMakeEvents fund here.
The post #WeMakeEvents: Blossoms, Radiohead and The Courteeners support national day of action appeared first on NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM.
