It’s absolutely no secret how tough this last year has been for live music. Venues especially have been copping it, with the Jobkeeper supplement essentially keeping a lot of businesses afloat right now.
But in two weeks time on Sunday, 28th March, when the supplementary payment ends, it’s looking like it’s going to be a very rough ride ahead.
Representatives from more than 100 Victorian live music venues, including The Espy, The Forum, The Corner Hotel and more, have come together to co-sign an open letter, which calls on the government to give immediate assistance to the majority of venues who are “severely debt laden” and a structured roadmap for the industry post-Jobkeeper.
“Our live music venues reopened three months ago restricted to less than 30% of regular capacities, with the support of JobKeeper,” the open letter reads.
“Now JobKeeper is ending, the bills are piling up, and we cannot trade out of it. We call on the Victorian Government to urgently provide a clear and balanced roadmap for easing restrictions so that the live music industry can begin to trade sustainably.”
“Live music matters as much as the tennis and the footy,” the letter reads. “Victoria’s live music venues have an audience of 110,000+ every Saturday night — more than an AFL grand final.”
Read the full letter via Save Our Scene here.
