UNITED STATES
> Music and film organisations call for more remedies for the creative sector
In a letter sent to leaders of Congress, signatories claim the CARES Act, which provided a stimulus package, has fallen short in assisting workers and request the implementation of remedies in a new CARES Act Covid relief package.
In a joint statement, the organisations said: “While we appreciate the efforts of lawmakers to meet the challenges of this pandemic, we need to ensure that our community is getting the aid they need to survive. Musicians are struggling to access the basic financial resources available due to conflicting and burdensome requirements in relief programs. Simply, there is a hole in this safety net that Congress must fix in the next version of the CARES Act.”
The letter states that for people in the creative field "to survive – and recover – after this crisis, we must be able to access the full support intended by Congress."
It lays out the hardships that the live entertainment industry is facing due to the pandemic. “We need help that only [Congress] can provide, in a way that recognises the particulars of our industry. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of us across the country, thank you for your understanding and your action.”
They add: "The government must commit to provide adequate testing, contact tracing, viral treatments and a vaccine to ensure safety and restore public trust. We will also need clear national guidelines to facilitate touring and live performances from musicians and entertainers in venues of all sizes."
The letter point out to the fact that the implementation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programme (PUA) has overlooked workers who have mixed income and report it on W-2 and 1099 forms. “PUA must be updated to recognise these different income streams and allow individuals to show their mixed sources of revenue for a full accounting of their annual income,” they write.
The letter describes concerns about the Paycheck Protection Programmeand the Economic Injury Disaster Loan programme that were included in the first CARES Act.
The letter also recognises that government agency the Small Business Administration (SBA) has limited the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) grant of up to $10,000 to only $1,000 per employee. "This means self-employed individuals who do not have employees are unfairly penalised, even though they need immediate relief just as much as any other small business," write the signatories.
They conclude: "We need help that only you can provide, in a way that recognises the particulars of our industry. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of us across the country, thank you for your understanding and your action."
The letter was sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and minority leader Kevin McCarthy and to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and minority leader Charles Schumer.
The organisations who signed include the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), the Future of Music Coalition, Global Music Rights (GMR), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), the Music Business Association, National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Screen Actors Guild-the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), the Songwriters Guild of America, the Songwriters of North America (SONA), SoundExchange and many more.
> Music Workers Alliance calls for tech companies for basic fairness in the digital marketplace
The Music Workers Alliance has started a petition addressed to Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, asking them for "basic fairness in the digital marketplace."
The petition claims that with live performance shut down, "the vast majority of the music sector has lost the economic means for basic survival," as "most, if not all, of the income forfeited is never coming back."
"Not long ago, many musicians, DJs, and sound performers could have made it through this period by relying on the sales of recorded music," the petition continues. "Today, online corporations, YouTube above all, have distorted that market by enabling near-limitless unauthorised distribution of recordings without the artists’ consent or compensation, while Google and Facebook profit from linking to such content."
Noting that "nearly half of music listened to online is heard on YouTube, where third-party users can illegally upload copyrighted material with near impunity," at the same time YouTube "pockets ad revenue on this infringing content without any repercussion."
In this context, the petition claims that the "call for basic fairness in the digital marketplace takes on a new urgency."
The signatories ask for the following demands, "in the name of economic justice for the creators of recorded musical product":
1. Immediate disaster relief for music workers, with a call on all major corporations" profiting from the distribution of music to contribute 1% of their ad revenue during each month that live performance remains shut down into an emergency fund to be administered by artist relief organisations, such as MusicCares, The Actors Fund, Sweet Relief, and The Jazz Foundation.
2. Reduce copyright infringement by establishing “Standard Technical Measures," calling on Google, YouTube, Facebook, and other major online corporations "to immediately establish and empower a working group tasked with examining steps, including standard technical measures, that could address infringement in order to create a more sustainable online music ecosystem that sustains culturally diverse production and promotes economic development and small and medium-size enterprises."
They conclude: "Many people across the world are turning to music to get through these unprecedented times. If we want the people who create that music to survive in this pandemic and the economic fallout that will follow, we need to fix an untenable situation: music workers need economic justice in the digital domain now.
> NSAI launches the WRITER Foundation
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has launched the WRITER Foundation (We’re Ready In Time of Emergency Relief), a non-profit organisation to support songwriters. The foundation's seed financing came in the form of a $500,000 grant from Sony/ATV.
Songwriters, who don't need to be members of NSAI, can start applyingfor $1,000 assistance grants from Wednesday, May 13. To be eligible, a songwriter/composer must qualify as a “professional,” defined as “currently earn the majority of their annual income from songwriting or related activities.”
“We created the WRITER Foundation after receiving a generous grant from SONY/ATV,” said WRITER Foundation Treasurer Bart Herbison, also executive director of NSAI. “Songwriters are in great need now since the live segment of the global music industry has essentially shut down. Performance royalty income will be dramatically affected. Advertising revenues have dropped precipitously also impacting songwriter royalties. And songwriters who perform or produce songs have witnessed those income streams dwindle.”
Other contributors to the foundation include Musicnotes and its employees, Concord Music Publishing, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, and Troy Verges. The Board of Directors of the WRITER Foundation will review the applications. The board includes Josh Osborne, Lori McKenna, Jennifer Turnbow, Bart Herbison, Tim Nichols, Erika Wollam-Nichols and Jimmy Yeary.
> Terra Foundation sets up $8 million fund
The Terra Foundation for American Art has made available $8 million for emergency funding and ongoing relief for visual arts organisations impacted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The fund is designed to provide emergency support to Chicago, US, and international arts organisations, as well as relief over the next two years for arts organisations in the US.
Grants will be awarded in two phases: an initial emergency response for immediate release to organisations that are part of the foundation’s network of partners; and an ongoing relief effort for US museums.
The first round of emergency relief funding is for up to $4m to support partners, including $1 million to support operating costs awarded directly to Chicago-area cultural partners, as well as support for the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund, as well as $2.6m to support operating costs awarded directly to US museum partners and nationwide arts service organisations. An additional $400,000 will be allocated to supporting operating costs awarded directly to selected international museums that have been ongoing, multi-year foundation partners.
The second round of relief funding is for up to $4 million, awarded over the next two years. “Consistent with the values of the Terra Foundation to be nimble and responsive, we are proud to announce this extensive relief program that addresses the needs of our partners and the field,” said Elizabeth Glassman, president and CEO of the Terra Foundation.
> Sotheby's plans to resume auctions
Sotheby's CEO Charles F. Stewart announced that the auction house will resume work gradually in Europe, Asia and USA. In a note to clients, Stewart said the company is "actively preparing for the reopening of our galleries in New York and London."
In New York, Sotheby's plans to hold its evening and day sales of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art in New York the week of 29 June, "pending the lifting of certain restrictions and confirmation from the relevant authorities." In Hong Kong, the spring sales series will be held from July 5-11 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Stewart added: "The term 're-opening' is somewhat misleading, because in fact we are still actively making markets during this time. Since March, we have held 37 online auctions that totaled nearly $70 million."
> Make Music Day goes on
Make Music Day, the worldwide music celebration held each June 21, will be have a different flavour this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 85 US cities and the entire states of Connecticut, Hawaii, Vermont and Wisconsin will take part in Make Music Day 2020 but across the US, in cities large and small, musicians and organisers have created new ways for anyone to join in the celebration on Sunday, June 21 while also practicing social distancing.
Organisers have identified a series of virtual events to keep the music coming: Live From Home Challenge, Online Music Lessons, Street Studios, Bands Undercover or Young Composers Contest (details here).
Make Music Day is presented in the US by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the non-profit Make Music Alliance.
“In this time of social distancing, music’s powerful role to bring us together as a community is more important than ever,” said Make Music Alliance President Aaron Friedman. “While physical public gatherings may not be currently accessible, we can still stay connected and celebrate music with people around the world on June 21.”
Launched in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day has become a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of people in over 1,000 cities across 120 countries taking part in the event.
EUROPE
> A call for ambitious EU measures to support the cultural sector
Close to 80 organisations form Europe’s cultural and creative sectors have called for ambitious European Union budgetary measures to get through the COVID-19 crisis.
In an open letter to EU leaders – Commissioners, Ministers of Culture and leading Members of the European Parliament – the organisations claim it is "time to put words into action!" Noting that Europe’s cultural and creative sectors were "among the first and hardest hit" by the Covid-19 crisis, they also warn that they will "also be among the last" to suffer.
They write: "Across Europe, almost all cultural activities have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely, while venues and retailers have closed with disastrous consequences for all creators’ and cultural and creative professionals’ livelihoods, as well as the ecosystem as a whole. Millions of jobs are on the line."
They note that the European Parliament's Resolution on how to combat the Covid-19 crisis and its consequences, underlines that the cultural and creative sectors “have been hit especially hard by the fallout from the Covid-19” and “calls for the EU and the Member States to provide support to the cultural and creative sectors as they play an important role for our economy and our social life and are severely affected by the current crisis.”
While the EU has provided financial support to Member States to protect jobs, workers and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the signatories point out that the EU "has failed to adequately address the specific needs of our sectors."
Therefore, as the European Commission is due to propose a new long-term EU budget and recovery plan, the undersigned organisations are calling on the EU:
- To propose an ambitious budget for the future Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027, which currently represents today 0.15% of the overall EU Budget. For the signatories, the European Parliament’s proposal for a budget of €2.8bn "should be considered the absolute minimum for a Programme commensurate with the sector’s contribution to the EU economy and well-being, and with its needs and challenges in these times of crisis."
- To ensure that the cultural and creative sectors, are included as priority sectors in the EU’s planned Recovery Fund, with sector specific funding. "Our sectors are among the hardest hit, and our interconnected value-chains are fragile - if they are to get through the crisis, especially SMEs, urgent support is needed, including liquidity/cash flow measures leading into 2021," they write.
- Boosting the EU’s loan guarantee facility for the cultural and creative sectors under the future InvestEU programme, with increased budget, guarantees and flexibility. "Loan guarantee instruments have a demonstrated trigger effect on investment, which is urgently needed in these difficult economic times," they explain.
- To secure a strong budget for Horizon Europe’s new cluster “culture, creativity and inclusive society”.
- To ensure that EU funds, notably structural funds, reach the cultural and creative sectors swiftly and effectively.
- To ensure that a meaningful part of the EU funding is also deployed to support the livelihood of creators, creative workers and freelancers throughout this unprecedented crisis.
They conclude: "In these hard times, as the contribution of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors to the social, economic and artistic development of Europe couldn’t be more tangible, yet our sectors find themselves in danger of partial collapse, it is more important than ever to preserve and support Europe’s arts, culture and heritage and the values they promote. Investing in our culture is investing in our future. Now is the time to turn words into concrete measures."
Signatories include ACT - Association of Commercial Television in Europe, AEPO-ARTIS - Association of European Performers’ Organisations, CEPI - European Audiovisual Production, ECCD - The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, ECSA - European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, EFJ - The European Federation of Journalists, EIBF - European and International Booksellers, EMC - European Music Council, EMEE - European Music Exporters Exchange, ESNS - Eurosonic Noorderslag, EuroCinema, Europa Distribution - The European Network of Independent Film Publishers and Distributors, EVA - European Visual Artists, FEP - Federation of European Publishers, FERA- Federation of European Film Directors, FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations, GESAC - European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers, IAO - International Artist Organisation of Music, ICMP - The Global Voice of Music Publishing, IFPI - International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, IFRRO - International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, IMMF - International Music Managers Forum, IMPALA- Independent music companies association, IMPF - Independent Music Publishers International Forum, KEA European Affairs, Live DMA, Liveurope, SAA - Society of Audiovisual Authors, UNI-MEI, Yourope - The European Festival Association.
As France started to open up for business on May 11, the creative sector welcomed a series of announcements by French President Emmanuel Macron while Prime Minister Edouard Philippe rolled out his de-confinement plan.
Macron said the crisis will force the sector and the country to "invent the culture of tomorrow," but also called upon Europe to be part of the new creative world.
However, the most anticipated measure announced by Macron was to extend until August 2021 the deadline for non-staff workers in the creative sectors to qualify for unemployment benefits.
The French system requires non-staff workers (actors, technicians, musicians, etc) to accumulate at least 507 hours of work in a year to qualify for benefits. With all activities frozen, thousands of workers were facing an impossible task to end up with 507 hours. Macron said the 507-hour caps would apply “for a year beyond the six months during which their activity would have been impossible or very degraded, that is to say until the end of August 2021.”
Macron said the the European Union Copyright Directive would be implemented into French law by the end of this year, as well as the Cab-Sat Directive and the Directive on audiovisual media services.
Macron also announced that the Centre National de la Musique (CNM), the new public body created to support the music sector, will receive a special allocation of €50 million to continue to help the sector, in particular the live music industry. For the film industry, Macron announced a compensation fund for the series and film that could have not been produced due to the coronavirus crisis.
Macron said the state will sponsor a massive commissioning programme of creative works, notably involving "young creators under 30" from all artistic disciplines, and mentioned that he expected digital platforms, in particular video services, to adhere to the obligations of financing French and European works.
French rights society SACEM welcomed "the vision expressed by the head of state that culture is part of our sovereignty and represents strategic assets that must be protected in this critical period. The commitment to creation and the French repertoire is vital."
ADAMI, which collects neighbouring rights on behalf of artists, was "relieved" to hear Macron make a gesture for non-staff workers, and welcomed the additional resources for the CNM. However, ADAMI added that there were "still many absents in Emmanuel Macron's invitation to invent the culture of tomorrow, at the forefront of which are the giants of cultural dissemination on the internet and whose exponential growth in recent weeks has to be noted."
Meanwhile, Philipe outlined his multiple-step de-confinement plan, but as already hinted by Macron a week before, large gathering such as festivals or big concerts will not be able to take place before after the summer, following a full review of the situation. "To start with, gathering will be limited to ten people maximum in the respect of social distancing," said Philippe. "By June 2, we will examine if we can move to a new threshold, but no event with more than 5,000 participants will be organised before September."
He added, "We would all have liked the Avignon Festival, the Francofolies, the Eurockéennes, the Nuits de Fourvière to take place but it is not possible to reconcile these major cultural events with the health precautions necessary for the management of epidemic. Our priority is to avoid the outbreak of a second wave."
Philippe also said that the government will wait until the beginning of June before it allows to reopen entertainment and art venues such as cinemas, major museums and monuments, providing the sanitary situation allows it.
> SCPP unlocks the second wave of its support plan
French neighbouring rights society SCPP has started the implementation of part 2 of its support plan for recorded music companies.
The support plan included two components: financial aid up to €5.22 million, intended exclusively for independent labels members of SCPP, and an additional €3.78m to support creation, "intended to encourage a restart of activity after confinement." The latter is the one that SCPP has activated, as the country moved into de-confinement.
SCPP said this additional funding will be available from mid-May and will take the form of an increase in SCPP's share of the costs of producing recordings and music videos. For example, SCPP aid may reach up to 65% of the base costs (instead of 50%), supplemented by a lump sum of 65% for the additional costs of production and promotion of creative works (instead of 55%), and 95% for music videos (instead of 70%).
SCPP noted that "with a constant budget, the applicant will therefore be likely to receive almost 37% more aid from SCPP than before."
> Indie labels' organisation UPFI makes proposals to relaunch investments
Indie labels' trade body UPFI has called on the Ministry of Culture to approve a series of measures to ensure that independent companies can continue to invest in music. "A large number of SMEs are already facing a difficult economic and financial situation in terms of cash flow and investment capacity," said the organisation that represents hundreds of indie labels.
The plan presented to the Ministry includes an he “intensification” of the tax break that benefits record labels and its sustainability beyond 2022. UPFI suggests the setting of a minimum rate of 30% in the long term but called for a 45% rate for 2020-21, 40% for 2022-23 and 35% for 2024-25, "in order to provide some cushion from the shock of the crisis while stimulating the recovery to come.” UPFI also proposes to raise the tax rate ceiling per company and per year from €1.1m to €2m.
UPFI also has asked for investment fund for the creative sector IFCIC to be allocated an extra €100 million "to enable it to support the financing needs of SMEs and very small businesses over the medium to long term from all music sectors.
UFPI has reacted positively to the Macron announcement that the CNM would be allocated an extra €50m, but already called for the amount to be renewed next year.
UPFI said the prospects following the de-containment "are not very encouraging" due to the possibility that consumption of cultural goods remains flat, and the risk of a 20-25% drop in income from neighbouring rights during the period 2020-2021.
> SACEM calls for broadcasters and platforms to support local talent
Echoing a recent call made by cross-industry trade body Tous Pour La Musique (TPLM), alerting about the drop in French music played by commercial radio stations during the lockdown, rights society SACEM has urged radio stations to support the local music scene.
SACEM has created a new moniker, #SceneFrancaise (#FrenchScene), and called radios stations, broadcasters and digital platforms to expose and highlight the works of the local artists. "Authors, composers and music publishers, whose income depends on the copyright linked to the performance and dissemination of their works, are already and will continue to be durably and severely affected by this crisis," said SACEM.
"It is therefore an essential responsibility of all actors and music broadcasters to support them and expose their works." SACEM makes the correlation between the greater the share of music produced in France broadcast by radio, TV and platforms, and the greater the share of rights collected and distributed to French creators.
SACEM welcomed the decision from radio stations such as public broadcaster Radio France, Skyrock, FG and Radio Nova to support local talent.
SACEM has launched a dedicated website (www.scenefrancaise.fr), a Facebook page and an Instagram account to present present all the contributions from the music industry, broadcasters and the public to supporting the local scene.
> Report outlines possible protocols for the re-opening of public venues
A new report has outline possible protocols that venues could follow when re-opening for business. The report, titled 'Proposals for a process for the re-opening of shows, filming and rehearsals venues', is a private initiative by Patrick Bézier, president of Audiens Care, under the supervision of infectiologist François Bricaire, and based on the audition of over 30 professionals from the cinema, music, theater, dance, cabaret and circus sectors. It was presented to the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and to the Government.
The report makes a distinction between closed spaces, open spaces and those without spectators for rehearsals and filming. "Concerts or festivals with standing audiences are excluded from the system as long as the distance cannot be controlled," said the report.
The recommendations in the report include:
• Keeping a distance of 1.5 meters or two seats staggered in venues;
• Wearing a mask and washing hands with hydroalcoholic gel;
• Floor marking to manage spectator entrances and exits as well as to the toilet;
• Distancing from artists;
• The possible elimination of intermissions, changing rooms and catering areas;
• Ventilate rooms for fifteen minutes between sessions;
• Decontaminating cleaning of materials or instruments .
The report also suggests the creation of a common label to indicate that venues or events respect these rules, "to reassure the public, that we will have to win back."
> Paris prepares for a re-opening of cultural spaces
Christophe Girard, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of culture, has outlined a four-stage plan for the "gradual" re-opening of Parisian cultural vanues, such as theaters, museums and "major cultural spaces." The plan includes:
• Sanitary compliance of theaters, museums and "major cultural spaces" in Paris from May 11;
• The partial reopening of Parisian museums, by respecting the limit of no more than 10 people in public spaces at any time;
• Gradual reopening of certain parks and gardens, which can host public gatherings such as music or theater;
• Preparing the event "August month of culture" which will incorporate concerts, dance, cinema, and various shows in parks, gardens and in small squares in Paris.
Close to 80 organisations form Europe’s cultural and creative sectors have called for ambitious European Union budgetary measures to get through the COVID-19 crisis.
In an open letter to EU leaders – Commissioners, Ministers of Culture and leading Members of the European Parliament – the organisations claim it is "time to put words into action!" Noting that Europe’s cultural and creative sectors were "among the first and hardest hit" by the Covid-19 crisis, they also warn that they will "also be among the last" to suffer.
They write: "Across Europe, almost all cultural activities have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely, while venues and retailers have closed with disastrous consequences for all creators’ and cultural and creative professionals’ livelihoods, as well as the ecosystem as a whole. Millions of jobs are on the line."
They note that the European Parliament's Resolution on how to combat the Covid-19 crisis and its consequences, underlines that the cultural and creative sectors “have been hit especially hard by the fallout from the Covid-19” and “calls for the EU and the Member States to provide support to the cultural and creative sectors as they play an important role for our economy and our social life and are severely affected by the current crisis.”
While the EU has provided financial support to Member States to protect jobs, workers and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the signatories point out that the EU "has failed to adequately address the specific needs of our sectors."
Therefore, as the European Commission is due to propose a new long-term EU budget and recovery plan, the undersigned organisations are calling on the EU:
- To propose an ambitious budget for the future Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027, which currently represents today 0.15% of the overall EU Budget. For the signatories, the European Parliament’s proposal for a budget of €2.8bn "should be considered the absolute minimum for a Programme commensurate with the sector’s contribution to the EU economy and well-being, and with its needs and challenges in these times of crisis."
- To ensure that the cultural and creative sectors, are included as priority sectors in the EU’s planned Recovery Fund, with sector specific funding. "Our sectors are among the hardest hit, and our interconnected value-chains are fragile - if they are to get through the crisis, especially SMEs, urgent support is needed, including liquidity/cash flow measures leading into 2021," they write.
- Boosting the EU’s loan guarantee facility for the cultural and creative sectors under the future InvestEU programme, with increased budget, guarantees and flexibility. "Loan guarantee instruments have a demonstrated trigger effect on investment, which is urgently needed in these difficult economic times," they explain.
- To secure a strong budget for Horizon Europe’s new cluster “culture, creativity and inclusive society”.
- To ensure that EU funds, notably structural funds, reach the cultural and creative sectors swiftly and effectively.
- To ensure that a meaningful part of the EU funding is also deployed to support the livelihood of creators, creative workers and freelancers throughout this unprecedented crisis.
They conclude: "In these hard times, as the contribution of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors to the social, economic and artistic development of Europe couldn’t be more tangible, yet our sectors find themselves in danger of partial collapse, it is more important than ever to preserve and support Europe’s arts, culture and heritage and the values they promote. Investing in our culture is investing in our future. Now is the time to turn words into concrete measures."
Signatories include ACT - Association of Commercial Television in Europe, AEPO-ARTIS - Association of European Performers’ Organisations, CEPI - European Audiovisual Production, ECCD - The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, ECSA - European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, EFJ - The European Federation of Journalists, EIBF - European and International Booksellers, EMC - European Music Council, EMEE - European Music Exporters Exchange, ESNS - Eurosonic Noorderslag, EuroCinema, Europa Distribution - The European Network of Independent Film Publishers and Distributors, EVA - European Visual Artists, FEP - Federation of European Publishers, FERA- Federation of European Film Directors, FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations, GESAC - European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers, IAO - International Artist Organisation of Music, ICMP - The Global Voice of Music Publishing, IFPI - International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, IFRRO - International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, IMMF - International Music Managers Forum, IMPALA- Independent music companies association, IMPF - Independent Music Publishers International Forum, KEA European Affairs, Live DMA, Liveurope, SAA - Society of Audiovisual Authors, UNI-MEI, Yourope - The European Festival Association.
FRANCE
> Macron makes commitments to the creative sectorAs France started to open up for business on May 11, the creative sector welcomed a series of announcements by French President Emmanuel Macron while Prime Minister Edouard Philippe rolled out his de-confinement plan.
Macron said the crisis will force the sector and the country to "invent the culture of tomorrow," but also called upon Europe to be part of the new creative world.
However, the most anticipated measure announced by Macron was to extend until August 2021 the deadline for non-staff workers in the creative sectors to qualify for unemployment benefits.
The French system requires non-staff workers (actors, technicians, musicians, etc) to accumulate at least 507 hours of work in a year to qualify for benefits. With all activities frozen, thousands of workers were facing an impossible task to end up with 507 hours. Macron said the 507-hour caps would apply “for a year beyond the six months during which their activity would have been impossible or very degraded, that is to say until the end of August 2021.”
Macron said the the European Union Copyright Directive would be implemented into French law by the end of this year, as well as the Cab-Sat Directive and the Directive on audiovisual media services.
Macron also announced that the Centre National de la Musique (CNM), the new public body created to support the music sector, will receive a special allocation of €50 million to continue to help the sector, in particular the live music industry. For the film industry, Macron announced a compensation fund for the series and film that could have not been produced due to the coronavirus crisis.
Macron said the state will sponsor a massive commissioning programme of creative works, notably involving "young creators under 30" from all artistic disciplines, and mentioned that he expected digital platforms, in particular video services, to adhere to the obligations of financing French and European works.
French rights society SACEM welcomed "the vision expressed by the head of state that culture is part of our sovereignty and represents strategic assets that must be protected in this critical period. The commitment to creation and the French repertoire is vital."
ADAMI, which collects neighbouring rights on behalf of artists, was "relieved" to hear Macron make a gesture for non-staff workers, and welcomed the additional resources for the CNM. However, ADAMI added that there were "still many absents in Emmanuel Macron's invitation to invent the culture of tomorrow, at the forefront of which are the giants of cultural dissemination on the internet and whose exponential growth in recent weeks has to be noted."
Meanwhile, Philipe outlined his multiple-step de-confinement plan, but as already hinted by Macron a week before, large gathering such as festivals or big concerts will not be able to take place before after the summer, following a full review of the situation. "To start with, gathering will be limited to ten people maximum in the respect of social distancing," said Philippe. "By June 2, we will examine if we can move to a new threshold, but no event with more than 5,000 participants will be organised before September."
He added, "We would all have liked the Avignon Festival, the Francofolies, the Eurockéennes, the Nuits de Fourvière to take place but it is not possible to reconcile these major cultural events with the health precautions necessary for the management of epidemic. Our priority is to avoid the outbreak of a second wave."
Philippe also said that the government will wait until the beginning of June before it allows to reopen entertainment and art venues such as cinemas, major museums and monuments, providing the sanitary situation allows it.
> SCPP unlocks the second wave of its support plan
French neighbouring rights society SCPP has started the implementation of part 2 of its support plan for recorded music companies.
The support plan included two components: financial aid up to €5.22 million, intended exclusively for independent labels members of SCPP, and an additional €3.78m to support creation, "intended to encourage a restart of activity after confinement." The latter is the one that SCPP has activated, as the country moved into de-confinement.
SCPP said this additional funding will be available from mid-May and will take the form of an increase in SCPP's share of the costs of producing recordings and music videos. For example, SCPP aid may reach up to 65% of the base costs (instead of 50%), supplemented by a lump sum of 65% for the additional costs of production and promotion of creative works (instead of 55%), and 95% for music videos (instead of 70%).
SCPP noted that "with a constant budget, the applicant will therefore be likely to receive almost 37% more aid from SCPP than before."
> Indie labels' organisation UPFI makes proposals to relaunch investments
Indie labels' trade body UPFI has called on the Ministry of Culture to approve a series of measures to ensure that independent companies can continue to invest in music. "A large number of SMEs are already facing a difficult economic and financial situation in terms of cash flow and investment capacity," said the organisation that represents hundreds of indie labels.
The plan presented to the Ministry includes an he “intensification” of the tax break that benefits record labels and its sustainability beyond 2022. UPFI suggests the setting of a minimum rate of 30% in the long term but called for a 45% rate for 2020-21, 40% for 2022-23 and 35% for 2024-25, "in order to provide some cushion from the shock of the crisis while stimulating the recovery to come.” UPFI also proposes to raise the tax rate ceiling per company and per year from €1.1m to €2m.
UPFI also has asked for investment fund for the creative sector IFCIC to be allocated an extra €100 million "to enable it to support the financing needs of SMEs and very small businesses over the medium to long term from all music sectors.
UFPI has reacted positively to the Macron announcement that the CNM would be allocated an extra €50m, but already called for the amount to be renewed next year.
UPFI said the prospects following the de-containment "are not very encouraging" due to the possibility that consumption of cultural goods remains flat, and the risk of a 20-25% drop in income from neighbouring rights during the period 2020-2021.
> SACEM calls for broadcasters and platforms to support local talent
Echoing a recent call made by cross-industry trade body Tous Pour La Musique (TPLM), alerting about the drop in French music played by commercial radio stations during the lockdown, rights society SACEM has urged radio stations to support the local music scene.
SACEM has created a new moniker, #SceneFrancaise (#FrenchScene), and called radios stations, broadcasters and digital platforms to expose and highlight the works of the local artists. "Authors, composers and music publishers, whose income depends on the copyright linked to the performance and dissemination of their works, are already and will continue to be durably and severely affected by this crisis," said SACEM.
"It is therefore an essential responsibility of all actors and music broadcasters to support them and expose their works." SACEM makes the correlation between the greater the share of music produced in France broadcast by radio, TV and platforms, and the greater the share of rights collected and distributed to French creators.
SACEM welcomed the decision from radio stations such as public broadcaster Radio France, Skyrock, FG and Radio Nova to support local talent.
SACEM has launched a dedicated website (www.scenefrancaise.fr), a Facebook page and an Instagram account to present present all the contributions from the music industry, broadcasters and the public to supporting the local scene.
> Report outlines possible protocols for the re-opening of public venues
A new report has outline possible protocols that venues could follow when re-opening for business. The report, titled 'Proposals for a process for the re-opening of shows, filming and rehearsals venues', is a private initiative by Patrick Bézier, president of Audiens Care, under the supervision of infectiologist François Bricaire, and based on the audition of over 30 professionals from the cinema, music, theater, dance, cabaret and circus sectors. It was presented to the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and to the Government.
The report makes a distinction between closed spaces, open spaces and those without spectators for rehearsals and filming. "Concerts or festivals with standing audiences are excluded from the system as long as the distance cannot be controlled," said the report.
The recommendations in the report include:
• Keeping a distance of 1.5 meters or two seats staggered in venues;
• Wearing a mask and washing hands with hydroalcoholic gel;
• Floor marking to manage spectator entrances and exits as well as to the toilet;
• Distancing from artists;
• The possible elimination of intermissions, changing rooms and catering areas;
• Ventilate rooms for fifteen minutes between sessions;
• Decontaminating cleaning of materials or instruments .
The report also suggests the creation of a common label to indicate that venues or events respect these rules, "to reassure the public, that we will have to win back."
> Paris prepares for a re-opening of cultural spaces
Christophe Girard, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of culture, has outlined a four-stage plan for the "gradual" re-opening of Parisian cultural vanues, such as theaters, museums and "major cultural spaces." The plan includes:
• Sanitary compliance of theaters, museums and "major cultural spaces" in Paris from May 11;
• The partial reopening of Parisian museums, by respecting the limit of no more than 10 people in public spaces at any time;
• Gradual reopening of certain parks and gardens, which can host public gatherings such as music or theater;
• Preparing the event "August month of culture" which will incorporate concerts, dance, cinema, and various shows in parks, gardens and in small squares in Paris.
UK
> British live sector calls for an urgent nationwide plan
The UK's Live Music Group, which regroups various organisations representing the live music sector (promoters, festivals, agents, venues and production services), has asked the government for an nationwide plan to support the sector.
Without urgent action the country will face the loss of thousands of jobs and close to a billion pounds in financial losses from the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, warned the trade group which is part of the UKMusic umbrella organisation.
“The live music industry has collapsed as a result of coronavirus and it will be one of the last sectors to emerge from this crisis. Removing existing support – such as the furlough scheme and help for self-employed – before live music resumes will trigger thousands of redundancies, and without additional support, the sector may never recover," said UK Live Music Group chair Greg Parmley.
He added, “Live music powers a huge eco-system of managers, artists, agents, technicians and suppliers, who have no income when there is no live music. The effects of this crisis are faced by the entire music industry – labels, publishers, composers and more don’t function without live performance.”
According to the UK Live Music Group, the live music sector is facing:
• More than £900 million wiped from the expected £1.1 billion of live music to UK’s economy;
• Thousands of job losses forcing the permanent closure of hundreds of businesses;
• More than 550 grassroots music venues (82% of the total) at immediate risk of closure;
• A period of up to 3 or 4 years before the live music sector recovers to 2019 levels.
The Association of Independent Festivals found that 92% of its members face collapse if no action is taken. To avoid such extreme outcome, the live music industry is calling for Government for the following measures:
• A continuation of all existing employment schemes and business support packages until the live music industry recovers;
• VAT breaks on ticket sales for a minimum of 18 months so that festivals, concerts and live events can see a result of this support (certain cultural events and exhibits are already exempt);
• Additional financial support to ensure that landlords provide rent-free periods to grassroots music venues tenants;
• Extension of business rate relief to the entire live music supply chain, include service companies, sound and lighting suppliers;
• Clear guidance about when professionally run, licensed events can resume, in order to allow operators to properly plan a recovery;
• Clarity around social distancing which takes into account the range of different venue sizes, some of whom may not be able to reopen until measures are further relaxed.
The UK Live Music Group warned that cutting back Government assistance before the music industry had a chance to recover would have a “catastrophic” impact on the sector and the music business as a whole.
UK Music chair Tom Watson explained: “The music industry is really hurting. Parts of the sector are effectively on life support and will need a sustained package of help from the Government to survive." He continued: “As the world slowly emerges from the international lockdown, the UK cannot afford to leave behind its economy-boosting music industry. We’ll need more support from Government to survive and remain a long term contributor to the economy."
According to UK Music stats, the live music sector contributed £1.1 billion a year to the economy in 2018 in Gross Value Added (GVA), and employed 30,529 people, before the impact of coronavirus (£5.2 billion for the whole music industry). More than 30 million music people attended concerts and festivals in the UK in 2018.
The UK Live Music Group includes: Agents’ Association(AA), Association for Electronic Music (AFEM), Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Concert Promoters Association (CPA), International Live Music Conference (ILMC), National Arenas Association (NAA), Production Services Association (PSA), and the Music Venue Trust (MVT).
> MU's research highlights the struggle of musicians
New research from the Musicians’ Union (MU) has found that a significant number of its members, most of whom are self-employed, will struggle financially, with 38% "falling short of the criteria required for the Government’s assistance schemes."
In addition, one-in-five (19%) musicians fear they will have to abandon their career due to the financial impact of Covid-19, "signaling potentially catastrophic repercussions for the industry," said the MU.
The Union is "urgently calling for more meaningful support for those affected, including measures such as a method for musicians who are part self-employed (at less than 50% of their total income) to access the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and for the removal of the £50,000 cap."
Horace Trubridge, General Secretary of the MU said: "Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland have all announced funds and aid packages for the sector. We are calling on our Government to take action by reassessing its SEISS package and considering how else it can help a sector that is so vital to our national community.”
> 50 members of the House of Lords ask for robust financial support for the creative sector
In a letter published in the Telegraph, 50 members of the House of Lords have urged the Government to provide robust financial support to music and the performing arts. The Lords note that "individuals working in the sector, who are largely self-employed or on precarious contracts, have lost their livelihoods," while musicians, other artists and those running venues "are falling through the cracks and receiving no financial support during the crisis."
"The message was clear: they need help now," reads the letter, adding: "Music and the arts help to define the kind of society we are. If we want them to survive this emergency, an urgent sector-specific package of financial support – similar to the €50 billion programme in Germany – is desperately needed. Without significant intervention of this sort, the cultural sector may be irreparably damaged by the time this crisis is over."
> London allocates £2.3m to an Emergency Culture Fund
The Mayor of London has set up an Emergency Culture Fund for cultural and creative industries, which has received a budget allocation of £2.3 million. The money will be split between various organisation:
- £450,000 to the Music VenueTrust(MVT) to support the #saveourvenues campaign to help grassroots venues;
- £225,000 to the LGBTQ+ Venues Forum will receive;
- £1.5m for Creative Land Trust to support artist workspaces;
- £150,000 to the British Film Institute (BFI) in aid of independent cinemas.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan commented: "I’m pleased to be working together with Music Venue Trust, the LGBTQ+ Venues Forum, the Creative Land Trust and the BFI to offer this emergency funding to those areas most at need, but we need the Government to step forward and provide the comprehensive support this industry needs to protect its future.”
"The Mayor of London is absolutely right when he says Government must provide the support needed to protect its future," added Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. "Our recent flash surveys demonstrate the impact of Covid-19 on the music sector and the wider creative industries – including the workforce and organisations within. It is crucial the Government supports their future viability with a robust financial package, the same afforded to other industries, such as fishing and sports."
> Music Venue Trust raises £1m to support the #saveourvenues campaign
As part of the #saveourvenues campaign, the MusicVenueTrust (MVT) has raised so far over £1 million in fundraising to help support the UK’s grassroots venues, many of which are face with potential closure due to the coronavirus crisis. Contributors include Beggars Group, Amazon Music/The BPI and The Mayor Of London, each with six-figure donations. The trust also received “very substantial donations” from Sony Music, SJM, Kilimanjaro and DHP Family.
"These are critical times for over 500 grassroots music venues many of whom simply won’t survive this crisis without donations from the music industry and music fans," said MVT CEO Mark Davyd. "This is a great start but there is still so much more to do, and we dare not get complacent. We urgently need other music industry partners to help the #saveourvenues campaign.”
Martin Mills, Founder and Chairman of Beggars Group, said he fully supported the campaign. "Live music in small venues is where it all starts for most of our artists, and many of our best times are spent in them," he explained. "Whether it’s White Stripes at the Dome, Dry Cleaning at the Lexington or Adele (and Aldous Harding) above a pub in Islington, we need these places to survive and thrive. We miss them.”
> British government scraps VAT on e-publications
The British government has brought forward the change in the VAT on digital publications, bringing it from 20% to zero, effective May 1. The measure was initially due to be implemented in December.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people across the UK to get hold of the books they want whilst they are staying at home and saving lives," said Chancellor Rishi Sunak. “That is why we have fast tracked plans to scrap VAT on all e-publications, which will make it cheaper for publishers to sell their books, magazines and newspapers.”
The move was welcomed by the Publishers' Association whose CEO Stephen Lotinga commented: “This is a boost to publishers, readers and authors which is especially important at this difficult time. We hope that it will enable more people to easily access and benefit from the comfort, entertainment and knowledge that books provide.”
The UK's Live Music Group, which regroups various organisations representing the live music sector (promoters, festivals, agents, venues and production services), has asked the government for an nationwide plan to support the sector.
Without urgent action the country will face the loss of thousands of jobs and close to a billion pounds in financial losses from the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, warned the trade group which is part of the UKMusic umbrella organisation.
“The live music industry has collapsed as a result of coronavirus and it will be one of the last sectors to emerge from this crisis. Removing existing support – such as the furlough scheme and help for self-employed – before live music resumes will trigger thousands of redundancies, and without additional support, the sector may never recover," said UK Live Music Group chair Greg Parmley.
He added, “Live music powers a huge eco-system of managers, artists, agents, technicians and suppliers, who have no income when there is no live music. The effects of this crisis are faced by the entire music industry – labels, publishers, composers and more don’t function without live performance.”
According to the UK Live Music Group, the live music sector is facing:
• More than £900 million wiped from the expected £1.1 billion of live music to UK’s economy;
• Thousands of job losses forcing the permanent closure of hundreds of businesses;
• More than 550 grassroots music venues (82% of the total) at immediate risk of closure;
• A period of up to 3 or 4 years before the live music sector recovers to 2019 levels.
The Association of Independent Festivals found that 92% of its members face collapse if no action is taken. To avoid such extreme outcome, the live music industry is calling for Government for the following measures:
• A continuation of all existing employment schemes and business support packages until the live music industry recovers;
• VAT breaks on ticket sales for a minimum of 18 months so that festivals, concerts and live events can see a result of this support (certain cultural events and exhibits are already exempt);
• Additional financial support to ensure that landlords provide rent-free periods to grassroots music venues tenants;
• Extension of business rate relief to the entire live music supply chain, include service companies, sound and lighting suppliers;
• Clear guidance about when professionally run, licensed events can resume, in order to allow operators to properly plan a recovery;
• Clarity around social distancing which takes into account the range of different venue sizes, some of whom may not be able to reopen until measures are further relaxed.
The UK Live Music Group warned that cutting back Government assistance before the music industry had a chance to recover would have a “catastrophic” impact on the sector and the music business as a whole.
UK Music chair Tom Watson explained: “The music industry is really hurting. Parts of the sector are effectively on life support and will need a sustained package of help from the Government to survive." He continued: “As the world slowly emerges from the international lockdown, the UK cannot afford to leave behind its economy-boosting music industry. We’ll need more support from Government to survive and remain a long term contributor to the economy."
According to UK Music stats, the live music sector contributed £1.1 billion a year to the economy in 2018 in Gross Value Added (GVA), and employed 30,529 people, before the impact of coronavirus (£5.2 billion for the whole music industry). More than 30 million music people attended concerts and festivals in the UK in 2018.
The UK Live Music Group includes: Agents’ Association(AA), Association for Electronic Music (AFEM), Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Concert Promoters Association (CPA), International Live Music Conference (ILMC), National Arenas Association (NAA), Production Services Association (PSA), and the Music Venue Trust (MVT).
> MU's research highlights the struggle of musicians
New research from the Musicians’ Union (MU) has found that a significant number of its members, most of whom are self-employed, will struggle financially, with 38% "falling short of the criteria required for the Government’s assistance schemes."
In addition, one-in-five (19%) musicians fear they will have to abandon their career due to the financial impact of Covid-19, "signaling potentially catastrophic repercussions for the industry," said the MU.
The Union is "urgently calling for more meaningful support for those affected, including measures such as a method for musicians who are part self-employed (at less than 50% of their total income) to access the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and for the removal of the £50,000 cap."
Horace Trubridge, General Secretary of the MU said: "Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland have all announced funds and aid packages for the sector. We are calling on our Government to take action by reassessing its SEISS package and considering how else it can help a sector that is so vital to our national community.”
> 50 members of the House of Lords ask for robust financial support for the creative sector
In a letter published in the Telegraph, 50 members of the House of Lords have urged the Government to provide robust financial support to music and the performing arts. The Lords note that "individuals working in the sector, who are largely self-employed or on precarious contracts, have lost their livelihoods," while musicians, other artists and those running venues "are falling through the cracks and receiving no financial support during the crisis."
"The message was clear: they need help now," reads the letter, adding: "Music and the arts help to define the kind of society we are. If we want them to survive this emergency, an urgent sector-specific package of financial support – similar to the €50 billion programme in Germany – is desperately needed. Without significant intervention of this sort, the cultural sector may be irreparably damaged by the time this crisis is over."
> London allocates £2.3m to an Emergency Culture Fund
The Mayor of London has set up an Emergency Culture Fund for cultural and creative industries, which has received a budget allocation of £2.3 million. The money will be split between various organisation:
- £450,000 to the Music VenueTrust(MVT) to support the #saveourvenues campaign to help grassroots venues;
- £225,000 to the LGBTQ+ Venues Forum will receive;
- £1.5m for Creative Land Trust to support artist workspaces;
- £150,000 to the British Film Institute (BFI) in aid of independent cinemas.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan commented: "I’m pleased to be working together with Music Venue Trust, the LGBTQ+ Venues Forum, the Creative Land Trust and the BFI to offer this emergency funding to those areas most at need, but we need the Government to step forward and provide the comprehensive support this industry needs to protect its future.”
"The Mayor of London is absolutely right when he says Government must provide the support needed to protect its future," added Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. "Our recent flash surveys demonstrate the impact of Covid-19 on the music sector and the wider creative industries – including the workforce and organisations within. It is crucial the Government supports their future viability with a robust financial package, the same afforded to other industries, such as fishing and sports."
> Music Venue Trust raises £1m to support the #saveourvenues campaign
As part of the #saveourvenues campaign, the MusicVenueTrust (MVT) has raised so far over £1 million in fundraising to help support the UK’s grassroots venues, many of which are face with potential closure due to the coronavirus crisis. Contributors include Beggars Group, Amazon Music/The BPI and The Mayor Of London, each with six-figure donations. The trust also received “very substantial donations” from Sony Music, SJM, Kilimanjaro and DHP Family.
"These are critical times for over 500 grassroots music venues many of whom simply won’t survive this crisis without donations from the music industry and music fans," said MVT CEO Mark Davyd. "This is a great start but there is still so much more to do, and we dare not get complacent. We urgently need other music industry partners to help the #saveourvenues campaign.”
Martin Mills, Founder and Chairman of Beggars Group, said he fully supported the campaign. "Live music in small venues is where it all starts for most of our artists, and many of our best times are spent in them," he explained. "Whether it’s White Stripes at the Dome, Dry Cleaning at the Lexington or Adele (and Aldous Harding) above a pub in Islington, we need these places to survive and thrive. We miss them.”
> British government scraps VAT on e-publications
The British government has brought forward the change in the VAT on digital publications, bringing it from 20% to zero, effective May 1. The measure was initially due to be implemented in December.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people across the UK to get hold of the books they want whilst they are staying at home and saving lives," said Chancellor Rishi Sunak. “That is why we have fast tracked plans to scrap VAT on all e-publications, which will make it cheaper for publishers to sell their books, magazines and newspapers.”
The move was welcomed by the Publishers' Association whose CEO Stephen Lotinga commented: “This is a boost to publishers, readers and authors which is especially important at this difficult time. We hope that it will enable more people to easily access and benefit from the comfort, entertainment and knowledge that books provide.”