Impact on Creative Industries

 

“The Music Industries Association (MIA) is the UK trade body that represents the interests of UK businesses making and selling musical instruments and associated products. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, publishers and supporting businesses”, whereas ”The Musicians Union (MU) is a globally-respected organisation which represents over 32,000 musicians working right across the music industry” and the Performing Rights Society (PRS) pay royalties to their members when their work is performed, broadcast, streamed, downloaded, reproduced, played in public or used in film and TV”.

 

The Musicians Union

 

According to the musicians union:

• 47% musicians have been forced to look for work outside the music industry

• 70% are unable to undertake more than a quarter of their usual work

• 36% musicians do not have any work at all

 

With the Government’s job retention schemes coming to an end:

• 65% musicians are facing financial hardship

• 87% musicians will be facing financial hardship as a result of the Government’s income support schemes ending in October

• 87% musicians will be earning less than £20,000 this year – well below the UK average income of £29,600

 

As a result, 88% musicians do not think that the Government has done enough to support musicians during the pandemic.

 

As a result of the Musicians Union’s work, the government is giving relief to the self-employed, they have extended the SEISS (Self Employment Income Support Scheme), they have supported MPs pushing to close the gaps in Parliament, raised over £70,000 to help musicians in financial hardship as a result of Covid-19, and more.

 

MIA (Music Industry Association)

 

The MIA has a list of key resources created by the MIA and their trusted partners, as well as advice for retailers who would like to re-open their music shop, and even Musical Instrument Hygiene lessons, to help stop the spread of covid-19.

 

They also offer a list of government information around how to work safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

PRS (Performing Rights Society)

 

PRS is by far the most influential and important trade union in the world for all musicians.

 

They have compiled an extensive list of resources to help musicians throughout the world in a covid-19 society.

 

They said “We understand that your livelihood is at risk and we want to do whatever we can to support you in this time of need. The aim of this page is to direct you to resources that may be able to help you through these difficult times.

 

As PRS are mainly a royalty service, they offer poignant advice on how to maximise your royalties if they have diminished as a result of COVID-19.

 

They also offer “Live streaming advice”, ‘Information for licensees” and an “Emergency Relief Fund”

 

Conclusion

 

What can you see as main negative developments for your industry?

 

The fact that musicians cannot preform and in turn cannot generate revenue is a huge negative development for the music industry, as well as the government losing unprecedented amounts of wealth due to the ephemeral nature of the covid covid-19 epidemic.

 

What are potential positive developments or new opportunities?

 

One very poignant development for the music industry is the fact that artists are starting to do online shows, which eliminates the risk of covid ever hitting them or their listeners, this means a lot more people can attend their shows, much more than a normal concert could.