Monday 5 October 2020

Let Music Live

Let Music Live

More than 400 freelance professional musicians, from all parts of the industry, will be gathering in Parliament Square, London and Centenary Square, Birmingham at 1pm on Tuesday 6 October 2020, to perform in order to shine a light on the need for targeted support for freelance musicians and all those who work in the arts and entertainment sector. They will be joined in support by leading musical figures including David Hill, Raphael Wallfisch, Emma Johnson and Tasmin Little, and in solidarity by the Musicians' Union, The Incorporated Society of Musicians, The Musicians' Answering Service, Emily Eavis, Jools Holland, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dan Smith of Bastille, Izzy Summers of Florence and the Machine and more.

In Parliament Square, David Hill will conduct the freelance musicians in short section of 'Mars' from Holst's The Planets before standing in silence for two minutes. The 20% of the piece that they will perform represents the maximum 20% support that freelancers receive from the government through the SEISS grant. The two-minute silence represents the 33% of musicians currently not covered by the SEISS grant (MU). The event will be Covid-safe, adhering strictly to social distancing regulations, facilitated by support from #WeMakeEvents.

The arts and culture industry contributes £10.8 billion a year directly to the UK economy (ONS), with growth in creative industries previously running at five times that of the rest of the economy. With effective short-term support, freelance musicians will continue to make a positive impact. For every £1 directly spent on music and events, an extra £2 is generated in the wider economy (ACE), powering a network of businesses across the country. Supporting freelance musicians means supporting the wider economy.

 

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