EPIC Working Group have put together a video narrated and written by Bressie which highlights how the live music industry is has been now closed an entire year, an unprecedented situation that many of us who work in and around the music industry are feeling every single day.
First to close. Last to open. 365 Days Of Darkness. Is there some light? Here’s f**kin hoping.
EPIC are asking for those who care about live music to email your TDs via the Uplift campaign, ahead of EPIC’s meeting with government departments next week “to specifically discuss the lack of supports for Live events industry SMEs.”
EPIC says:
We welcome the €50m funding that was announced, but it fails once more to address the needs of our SMEs – small one off grants and moderate funding for streamed and limited events will not support an industry with no road map.We have been left out in the dark.
35,000 workers have been unable to earn a living from their trade.Hundreds of businesses have been placed into a state of paralysis, unable to trade, but still incurring ongoing costs.
There has been no direct support for these businesses.
We are losing the infrastructure that events in Ireland rely on.Without our supply chain, there will be no concerts, no festivals.
Without our workers, there will be no stages built in green fields, no product launches with mind boggling tech, the trucks will not be loaded, the stages will remain dark.
Please contact your TDs and request that they raise the urgent need for key financial supports for Events Sector SMEs with cabinet ministers and any other relevant persons.
Highlight 3 points as detailed by EPIC that must be addressed urgently.
1) Continued PUP and EWSS until 6 months after mass gatherings are permitted again
2) Meaningful and ongoing fixed costs supports for SMEs in the sector
3) Tax warehousing without penalty for at least 12 months after mass gatherings are permitted again
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
