GLOBAL
> Film festivals unite for virtual event
Some 20 film festivals from around the world have joined forces to present a 10-day virtual festival on YouTube from May 29. We Are One: A Global Film Festival will be raising funds for the World Health Organisation's Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund and beyond.
Festivals taking part in the initiative include those from Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Venice, London, Jerusalem, Mumbai and Marrakesh, as well as Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
According to Deadline, any films scheduled for upcoming 2020 festivals are not going to be shown, for financial and rights reasons.
Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure, and general delegate Thierry Frémaux, said, "We are proud to join with our partner festivals to spotlight truly extraordinary films and talent, allowing audiences to experience both the nuances of storytelling from around the world and the artistic personalities of each festival."
> TikTok launches Donation Stickers app
TikTok has launched the Donation Stickers, a new in-app donation feature that creators can include in their videos and livestreams to raise funds for the charities and causes they care most about. Donation Stickers is available only in select countries.
Donation Stickers are clickable donation buttons that can be embedded directly in videos and TikTok Lives, like other stickers on the platform.
Help Musicians is one of the first UK charities that joined the programme at launch, with all donations going towards the charity’s ongoing hardship funding for musicians affected by coronavirus.
Globally, the short format streaming service said it would be matching users' donations made through Donation Stickers, until May 27, 2020. This contribution adds to TikTok’s recent donation of $2 million to MusiCares.
Paul Hourican, head of music operations UK, TikTok, said: “Connecting artists and their music with fans has always been at the heart of TikTok, so we wanted to do our bit to help them access the support they need to get them through this crisis."
A surveyfrom the emergency relief fund Artist Relief shows that 95% of respondents reported loss of income due to the pandemic and that 62% of artists have become fully unemployed because of C-19. Based on 11,000 responses, the survey, co-presented with the non-profit Americans for the Arts, shows that 66% of artists are unable to access the resources necessary for their work and 80% do not have a plan to recover after the crisis. The average decline in estimated total annual income is $27,103.
"The Impact Survey organised by Americans for the Arts is a critical element of Artist Relief," said Deana Haggag, president and CEO of United States Artists, an Artist Relief coalition member, alongside the Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the MAP Fund, and the National YoungArts Foundation.
She continued: "While it is heartening to see artists do what they can for their communities, this data is sobering and makes it clear that creative workers need significant advocacy on their behalf to ensure they survive this crisis."
Since Artists Relief was founded, it has raised $12 million, including $5m from over 20 foundations, and $5m from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Artists Relief will allocate $5,000 grants to 100 artists a week through September. Artist Relief received over 55,000 applications in its first funding cycle, although its current financial only allows for the funding of 200 artists.
"Though expected, this stark difference between need and resources emphasise the urgency with which Artist Relief needs to expand," said the organisation. Artist Relief’s second grant cycle is now open.
> Coalition asks Congress to change tax code
A coalition of industry unions and organisations has asked Congress to update a tax benefit for workers in the entertainment industry that hasn’t been adjusted in nearly 35 years.
Entertainment union SAG-AFTRA, the Writers' Guild of America (WGA) East and West, AFL-CIO, IATSE, Actors’ Equity, the American Federation of Musicians, ASCAP,BMI, NMPA, and Recording Industry Association of America have asked Congress to update the Qualified Performing Artist deduction in the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act to expand work-related deductions.
The organisations said the measure would provide relief for middle class working performers who are affected by Covid-19 production shutdowns.
“We write today on behalf of more than 500,000 workers in the entertainment industry,” wrote the coalition. “Like many during these uncertain times our workers have been devastated by the financial impact of Covid-19 with a complete shutdown of production and live performances.”
It continued: "“As Congress works to provide relief to the nation during this unprecedented crisis, we urge you to consider the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act, HR 3121, a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Judy Chu and Vern Buchanan. The bill modernises an existing tax deduction and allows entertainment industry workers to keep more of their hard-earned money."
The letter was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
> Freelancers find difficulties applying for assistance programmes
A new survey conducted by the nonprofit Freelancers Union, conducted April 22–29, shows that 93% of the 2,755 freelancers surveyed have reported that they have lost work as a result of Covid-19, with 34% having lost over $10,000 since the start of the crisis.
The survey found that 85% of music and performing arts freelancers reported they had applied for government relief as a result of the pandemic, but 83% reported that they’re still waiting to hear back from one or more relief programs, 24% reported they had been denied funding by one or more relief programs and 11% reported they had not yet received funding despite having been approved by one or more programs.
Billboard noted that the survey also found that freelancers in the music and the performing arts fields had difficulty navigating the application process for government assistance programs during the pandemic with 59% reporting that they experienced delays or were unable to complete their applications due to broken and unresponsive web systems, while 58% reported that they received "confusing or incorrect guidance" on how to apply as a freelancer.
> New York art foundations raise $1.25 million
The Willem de Kooning Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Teiger Foundation, and the Cy Twombly Foundation have jointly raised $1.25 million to fund an emergency aid fund for self-employed workers in the visual arts. The fund will be administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).
The Tri-State Relief Fund to Support Non-Salaried Workers in the Visual Arts will distribute one-time unrestricted cash grants of $2,000 each to freelance, contract, or non-salaried archivists, art handlers, artist/photographer’s assistants, cataloguers, database specialists, digital assets specialists, image scanners/digitisers, and registrars. Applicants must show proof of residency in Connecticut, New Jersey, and/or New York from the last two years.
They must also have a minimum of five years experience in the aforementioned behind-the-scenes roles in the visual arts, and be able to show proof of critical financial need due to loss of income directly related to the COVID-19 crisis.
Amy Schichtel, Executive Director of The Willem de Kooning Foundation, commented: “We all rely on the expertise of these dedicated, hardworking individuals. We feel the imperative to acknowledge their importance by helping them get through this difficult time. While the missions of the four foundations are diverse, we are fully aligned in support of this critical objective. We hope that other foundations will join the initiative and support this fund.”
> Chris Castle calls for local 'Culture Cards'
Austin, Texas-based lawyer Chris Castle suggested to launch local Culture Card that would permits cardholders to purchase goods or services from a designated group of “local arts vendors” such as artists, retailers or nonprofit arts organisations operating in the locality of the user.
Some 20 film festivals from around the world have joined forces to present a 10-day virtual festival on YouTube from May 29. We Are One: A Global Film Festival will be raising funds for the World Health Organisation's Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund and beyond.
Festivals taking part in the initiative include those from Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Venice, London, Jerusalem, Mumbai and Marrakesh, as well as Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
According to Deadline, any films scheduled for upcoming 2020 festivals are not going to be shown, for financial and rights reasons.
Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure, and general delegate Thierry Frémaux, said, "We are proud to join with our partner festivals to spotlight truly extraordinary films and talent, allowing audiences to experience both the nuances of storytelling from around the world and the artistic personalities of each festival."
> TikTok launches Donation Stickers app
TikTok has launched the Donation Stickers, a new in-app donation feature that creators can include in their videos and livestreams to raise funds for the charities and causes they care most about. Donation Stickers is available only in select countries.
Donation Stickers are clickable donation buttons that can be embedded directly in videos and TikTok Lives, like other stickers on the platform.
Help Musicians is one of the first UK charities that joined the programme at launch, with all donations going towards the charity’s ongoing hardship funding for musicians affected by coronavirus.
Globally, the short format streaming service said it would be matching users' donations made through Donation Stickers, until May 27, 2020. This contribution adds to TikTok’s recent donation of $2 million to MusiCares.
Paul Hourican, head of music operations UK, TikTok, said: “Connecting artists and their music with fans has always been at the heart of TikTok, so we wanted to do our bit to help them access the support they need to get them through this crisis."
UNITED STATES
> Artist Relief survey highlights hardship faced by creators
"The Impact Survey organised by Americans for the Arts is a critical element of Artist Relief," said Deana Haggag, president and CEO of United States Artists, an Artist Relief coalition member, alongside the Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the MAP Fund, and the National YoungArts Foundation.
She continued: "While it is heartening to see artists do what they can for their communities, this data is sobering and makes it clear that creative workers need significant advocacy on their behalf to ensure they survive this crisis."
Since Artists Relief was founded, it has raised $12 million, including $5m from over 20 foundations, and $5m from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Artists Relief will allocate $5,000 grants to 100 artists a week through September. Artist Relief received over 55,000 applications in its first funding cycle, although its current financial only allows for the funding of 200 artists.
"Though expected, this stark difference between need and resources emphasise the urgency with which Artist Relief needs to expand," said the organisation. Artist Relief’s second grant cycle is now open.
> Coalition asks Congress to change tax code
A coalition of industry unions and organisations has asked Congress to update a tax benefit for workers in the entertainment industry that hasn’t been adjusted in nearly 35 years.
Entertainment union SAG-AFTRA, the Writers' Guild of America (WGA) East and West, AFL-CIO, IATSE, Actors’ Equity, the American Federation of Musicians, ASCAP,BMI, NMPA, and Recording Industry Association of America have asked Congress to update the Qualified Performing Artist deduction in the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act to expand work-related deductions.
The organisations said the measure would provide relief for middle class working performers who are affected by Covid-19 production shutdowns.
“We write today on behalf of more than 500,000 workers in the entertainment industry,” wrote the coalition. “Like many during these uncertain times our workers have been devastated by the financial impact of Covid-19 with a complete shutdown of production and live performances.”
It continued: "“As Congress works to provide relief to the nation during this unprecedented crisis, we urge you to consider the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act, HR 3121, a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Judy Chu and Vern Buchanan. The bill modernises an existing tax deduction and allows entertainment industry workers to keep more of their hard-earned money."
The letter was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
> Freelancers find difficulties applying for assistance programmes
A new survey conducted by the nonprofit Freelancers Union, conducted April 22–29, shows that 93% of the 2,755 freelancers surveyed have reported that they have lost work as a result of Covid-19, with 34% having lost over $10,000 since the start of the crisis.
The survey found that 85% of music and performing arts freelancers reported they had applied for government relief as a result of the pandemic, but 83% reported that they’re still waiting to hear back from one or more relief programs, 24% reported they had been denied funding by one or more relief programs and 11% reported they had not yet received funding despite having been approved by one or more programs.
Billboard noted that the survey also found that freelancers in the music and the performing arts fields had difficulty navigating the application process for government assistance programs during the pandemic with 59% reporting that they experienced delays or were unable to complete their applications due to broken and unresponsive web systems, while 58% reported that they received "confusing or incorrect guidance" on how to apply as a freelancer.
> New York art foundations raise $1.25 million
The Willem de Kooning Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Teiger Foundation, and the Cy Twombly Foundation have jointly raised $1.25 million to fund an emergency aid fund for self-employed workers in the visual arts. The fund will be administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).
The Tri-State Relief Fund to Support Non-Salaried Workers in the Visual Arts will distribute one-time unrestricted cash grants of $2,000 each to freelance, contract, or non-salaried archivists, art handlers, artist/photographer’s assistants, cataloguers, database specialists, digital assets specialists, image scanners/digitisers, and registrars. Applicants must show proof of residency in Connecticut, New Jersey, and/or New York from the last two years.
They must also have a minimum of five years experience in the aforementioned behind-the-scenes roles in the visual arts, and be able to show proof of critical financial need due to loss of income directly related to the COVID-19 crisis.
Amy Schichtel, Executive Director of The Willem de Kooning Foundation, commented: “We all rely on the expertise of these dedicated, hardworking individuals. We feel the imperative to acknowledge their importance by helping them get through this difficult time. While the missions of the four foundations are diverse, we are fully aligned in support of this critical objective. We hope that other foundations will join the initiative and support this fund.”
> Chris Castle calls for local 'Culture Cards'
Austin, Texas-based lawyer Chris Castle suggested to launch local Culture Card that would permits cardholders to purchase goods or services from a designated group of “local arts vendors” such as artists, retailers or nonprofit arts organisations operating in the locality of the user.
The card would be sponsored by state or local government, local corporations, radio or television stations. Local culture cards would be distributed free of charge to local residents charged up with a minimum payment that must be spent within 30 days of activation.
"The purpose of the Local Culture Card would be to empower consumers with purchasing power to directly inject cash into a local artist community—and quickly," wrote Castle. Once funds are used, the issuer or sponsor could elect to replenish the funds on the same 30 day basis.
> Survey shows impact of C-19 on videographers
Production music start-up Soundstripe has conducted a survey of over 300 freelance videographers and agency creatives who use the service to license music for their videos and found that over half of respondents have lost at least 76% of their projects for the next three months, and over a quarter have lost them all. While 46% of those surveyed have been able to hold onto a portion of their work, the majority have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they were forced to shut down entirely and are searching new work.
The survey drew 325 responses, with 63.4% of respondents saying they specialised in advertising, 38.2% on wedding videos, 32.9% on live events, 14.5% on music videos, and 11.1% on live streaming. Respondents were allowed to select multiple specialties.
“While it’s a tragedy to see so many creatives struggling with the Covid-19 lockdown, it was inspiring to hear how so many of our customers are staying positive and charting a course forward through this storm,” said Travis Terrell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Soundstripe. “We'll be using their stories to fuel our own creative engines during this crisis, and we are committed to being there for them as Covid-19 has changed the media and content creation landscape for the foreseeable future.”
> Yoshiki makes $100,000 donation
Los Angeles-based Japanese songwriter, performer and producer Yoshiki has donated 10 million yen (approx. $100,000) through his non-profit organisation Yoshiki Foundation Americato the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, which researches infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, including the coronavirus. "It saddens me that people working in the entertainment industry, including myself, as well as people from many other industries, are economically and psychologically stressed because nobody knows when things will settle down," said Yoshiki. "However, I believe that the people we should be supporting are the healthcare workers who are treating coronavirus patients as we speak."
> Survey shows impact of C-19 on videographers
Production music start-up Soundstripe has conducted a survey of over 300 freelance videographers and agency creatives who use the service to license music for their videos and found that over half of respondents have lost at least 76% of their projects for the next three months, and over a quarter have lost them all. While 46% of those surveyed have been able to hold onto a portion of their work, the majority have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they were forced to shut down entirely and are searching new work.
The survey drew 325 responses, with 63.4% of respondents saying they specialised in advertising, 38.2% on wedding videos, 32.9% on live events, 14.5% on music videos, and 11.1% on live streaming. Respondents were allowed to select multiple specialties.
“While it’s a tragedy to see so many creatives struggling with the Covid-19 lockdown, it was inspiring to hear how so many of our customers are staying positive and charting a course forward through this storm,” said Travis Terrell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Soundstripe. “We'll be using their stories to fuel our own creative engines during this crisis, and we are committed to being there for them as Covid-19 has changed the media and content creation landscape for the foreseeable future.”
> Yoshiki makes $100,000 donation
Los Angeles-based Japanese songwriter, performer and producer Yoshiki has donated 10 million yen (approx. $100,000) through his non-profit organisation Yoshiki Foundation Americato the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, which researches infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, including the coronavirus. "It saddens me that people working in the entertainment industry, including myself, as well as people from many other industries, are economically and psychologically stressed because nobody knows when things will settle down," said Yoshiki. "However, I believe that the people we should be supporting are the healthcare workers who are treating coronavirus patients as we speak."
EUROPE
> IMPALA unveils 10-step plan to get out of the crisis
Indie music company's organisation IMPALA has outlined an ambitious roadmap for the European Union and member states "to boost investment, growth and jobs through music and the cultural sectors."
“The contribution of music and culture to Europeans’ well-being is huge, on top of our economic value," Francesca Trainini, Chair of IMPALA and the TaskForce. "This is why we need a long term strategy and its time for the EU and member states to put in place ambitious sector specific plans focused on recovery.”
IMPALA has proposed a time-line with ten steps "designed to sync with the EU's own recovery planning." This roadmap is designed to be part of a 5-year recovery strategy for the cultural and creative sectors.
The programme would include a mix of financial and non-financial tools to be rolled out to increase liquidity in the music and broader cultural sector.
IMPALA said the time-line it is proposing "requires decisions from May to September and beyond":
- Step 1 – Recognising music and culture as priority sectors (May 2020)
- Step 2 – Co-ordinating de-confinement and mobility strategies across Europe (now onwards)
- Step 3 – Allocating sector specific EU and national crisis funds (May 2020)
- Step 4 – Adopting 5-year state aid framework (May 2020)
- Step 5 – Increasing allocation for culture in future EU budget (May 2020)
- Step 6 – Boosting loans for small and medium businesses (May 2020)
- Step 7 – Granting VAT holidays and longer-term measures (when retail stores re-open)
- Step 8 – Adopting national tax credit schemes (by September 2020)
- Step 9 – Implementing EU copyright directive by the summer (July 2020, September latest)
- Step 10 – Reviewing tools to value music and culture properly (September 2020 to January 2021)
“As life across Europe gradually takes on some level of normality, a recovery time-line is needed for the cultural sectors. Coming out of the crisis will be challenging, and at the same time it is an opportunity for growth," said Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA. "The key is putting the right financial and non-financial tools in place to promote investment in creativity. Our roadmap is about acting now to build a recovery plan for the next 5 years and beyond.”
> MEPs call on the EU to provide support to the creative and media sectors
Members of the European Parliament have passed a resolution asking the European Union to provide support to the creative and media sectors.
The resolution underlines that the pandemic has affected everyone and many sectors of the economy are struggling, but the culture sector "is one of the worst hit," with performances across Europe cancelled, festivals, conferences and exhibitions postponed, cinemas, theaters and museums closed, television and film productions put on hold, putting artists under duress to earn a living.
MEPs recognise that the specificity of the cultural sector makes it harder for its workers to qualify for support put in place by member states. Hence MEPs from the Parliament’s culture committee call for "specific aid to help the sector survive the crisis."
MEPs have written a letter to Thierry Breton, Internal Market Commissioner, and Mariya Gabriel, Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner, in which they call for:
- Protecting artists who may not qualify for national support schemes through the Creative Europe programme.
- Making sure EU funds reach the sector by increasing funding for Creative Europe.
- Creating an ad hoc financial instrument under the European Investment Fund to channel funds to the sector.
German EPP member Sabine Verheyen, chair of European Parliament's culture committee, said more should be done at the EU level to provide tailored support for culture sector workers until things are back to normal.
MEPs have also asked the EU to provide support for media, as advertising revenues have dropped significantly. MEPs are calling for "the creation of an emergency fund for media, earmark structural funds for culture, and beef up the guarantee instrument."
The emergency fund to support the media and press sector would be financed by funds that cannot be spent under other programmes because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To make sure EU funds reach the sector, MEPs are asking the Commission to consider increasing the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (part of the Creative Europe programme) by topping it up from the 2021 budget, or transferring funds from the European Fund for Strategic Investments.
“Projects dealing with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic now qualify for 100% financing and thematic concentration rules have been loosened, so funds can be more easily channeled to where they are needed most,” said Verheyen.
“This money must reach the cultural and creative and media sectors quickly by responding to the specific business models and their particular needs. We call on the Commission and the member states to ensure that support schemes reach all those who need them. But we also need to do more at EU level to provide tailored support to the sectors as well as to provide credit and access to finance the cultural and creative sector."
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced that major sporting and cultural events, in particular festivals, large trade fairs, and any events which bring together more than 5,000 participants "will not be able to be held before the month of September."
Philippe, who was outlining the government deconfinement plan before the Parliament, added that "cultural activities, because they can function more easily while respecting health rules, video libraries, libraries, small museums, that are so important for the cultural life of our territories, will be able to open their doors as of May 11."
However, large museums, which attract a large number of visitors outside their living area, cinemas, theaters and concert halls "where people stay in the same place in a closed environment, will not be able to reopen," said the PM.
"Generally speaking, we must avoid gatherings which are all occasions for the spread of the virus," said Philippe. "Gatherings organised on the public spaces or in private places will be limited to 10 people," he said. "The country has never been confined as it is today. Obviously, it cannot be sustainable. Because if confinement was a necessary step, if it lasts too long, it can have deleterious effects."
Jean-Noël Tronc, CEO of rights society SACEM, noted that the government's roadmap for deconfinement makes it hard for the creative sector to resume activities. "If the life of our country is going to resume, in a very progressive way and with still many restrictions, culture and music will remain largely excluded from it, and for a long time," commented Tronc. "Theaters, concert halls and cinemas remain closed until further notice, and there will be no events of more than 5,000 people -- including festivals of course -- before September at the earliest."
He added: "For the cultural and creative industries, which are at a standstill, the state of economic emergency remains and sets in over time. It risks delivering a fatal and irreversible blow to our creators and our cultural diversity."
> Sofia speeds up payments to authors and publishers
The board of directors of Sofia, the French collective representing 10,000 authors and some 500 publishers to collects the proceeds of the lending right to libraries, has adopted emergency measures to assist its members.
To help its members, Sofia has also decided to bring forward the full distribution from payment from private copying rights initially scheduled for late June/early July 2020. This remuneration, totalling €11.3m, will therefore be paid during the month of May or at the latest at the beginning of June 2020 to authors and publishers.
In conjunction with the other collective management organisations related to books and authors (SCAM, CFC, ADAGP, SAIF), Sofia has decided to supplement the emergency aid fund for authors set up by the Centre National du Livre (National Book Center) and managed by the SGDL, with up to €450,000, to reach €1 million in total with the other other collective management organisations.
In addition, Sofia has decided to to contribute to the CNL emergency aid fund to support the most fragile independent publishing houses, with an allocation of €150,000. "Pending a recovery plan, which we hope to be ambitious for the sector, it was important for Sofia to also participate in maintaining the most fragile publishing structures," said the organisation.
> Petitions call for government to renew rights on intermittent workers
Indie music company's organisation IMPALA has outlined an ambitious roadmap for the European Union and member states "to boost investment, growth and jobs through music and the cultural sectors."
“The contribution of music and culture to Europeans’ well-being is huge, on top of our economic value," Francesca Trainini, Chair of IMPALA and the TaskForce. "This is why we need a long term strategy and its time for the EU and member states to put in place ambitious sector specific plans focused on recovery.”
IMPALA has proposed a time-line with ten steps "designed to sync with the EU's own recovery planning." This roadmap is designed to be part of a 5-year recovery strategy for the cultural and creative sectors.
The programme would include a mix of financial and non-financial tools to be rolled out to increase liquidity in the music and broader cultural sector.
IMPALA said the time-line it is proposing "requires decisions from May to September and beyond":
- Step 1 – Recognising music and culture as priority sectors (May 2020)
- Step 2 – Co-ordinating de-confinement and mobility strategies across Europe (now onwards)
- Step 3 – Allocating sector specific EU and national crisis funds (May 2020)
- Step 4 – Adopting 5-year state aid framework (May 2020)
- Step 5 – Increasing allocation for culture in future EU budget (May 2020)
- Step 6 – Boosting loans for small and medium businesses (May 2020)
- Step 7 – Granting VAT holidays and longer-term measures (when retail stores re-open)
- Step 8 – Adopting national tax credit schemes (by September 2020)
- Step 9 – Implementing EU copyright directive by the summer (July 2020, September latest)
- Step 10 – Reviewing tools to value music and culture properly (September 2020 to January 2021)
“As life across Europe gradually takes on some level of normality, a recovery time-line is needed for the cultural sectors. Coming out of the crisis will be challenging, and at the same time it is an opportunity for growth," said Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA. "The key is putting the right financial and non-financial tools in place to promote investment in creativity. Our roadmap is about acting now to build a recovery plan for the next 5 years and beyond.”
> MEPs call on the EU to provide support to the creative and media sectors
Members of the European Parliament have passed a resolution asking the European Union to provide support to the creative and media sectors.
The resolution underlines that the pandemic has affected everyone and many sectors of the economy are struggling, but the culture sector "is one of the worst hit," with performances across Europe cancelled, festivals, conferences and exhibitions postponed, cinemas, theaters and museums closed, television and film productions put on hold, putting artists under duress to earn a living.
MEPs recognise that the specificity of the cultural sector makes it harder for its workers to qualify for support put in place by member states. Hence MEPs from the Parliament’s culture committee call for "specific aid to help the sector survive the crisis."
MEPs have written a letter to Thierry Breton, Internal Market Commissioner, and Mariya Gabriel, Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner, in which they call for:
- Protecting artists who may not qualify for national support schemes through the Creative Europe programme.
- Making sure EU funds reach the sector by increasing funding for Creative Europe.
- Creating an ad hoc financial instrument under the European Investment Fund to channel funds to the sector.
German EPP member Sabine Verheyen, chair of European Parliament's culture committee, said more should be done at the EU level to provide tailored support for culture sector workers until things are back to normal.
MEPs have also asked the EU to provide support for media, as advertising revenues have dropped significantly. MEPs are calling for "the creation of an emergency fund for media, earmark structural funds for culture, and beef up the guarantee instrument."
The emergency fund to support the media and press sector would be financed by funds that cannot be spent under other programmes because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To make sure EU funds reach the sector, MEPs are asking the Commission to consider increasing the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (part of the Creative Europe programme) by topping it up from the 2021 budget, or transferring funds from the European Fund for Strategic Investments.
“Projects dealing with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic now qualify for 100% financing and thematic concentration rules have been loosened, so funds can be more easily channeled to where they are needed most,” said Verheyen.
“This money must reach the cultural and creative and media sectors quickly by responding to the specific business models and their particular needs. We call on the Commission and the member states to ensure that support schemes reach all those who need them. But we also need to do more at EU level to provide tailored support to the sectors as well as to provide credit and access to finance the cultural and creative sector."
FRANCE
> French government bans big gatherings until SeptemberPrime Minister Édouard Philippe announced that major sporting and cultural events, in particular festivals, large trade fairs, and any events which bring together more than 5,000 participants "will not be able to be held before the month of September."
Philippe, who was outlining the government deconfinement plan before the Parliament, added that "cultural activities, because they can function more easily while respecting health rules, video libraries, libraries, small museums, that are so important for the cultural life of our territories, will be able to open their doors as of May 11."
However, large museums, which attract a large number of visitors outside their living area, cinemas, theaters and concert halls "where people stay in the same place in a closed environment, will not be able to reopen," said the PM.
"Generally speaking, we must avoid gatherings which are all occasions for the spread of the virus," said Philippe. "Gatherings organised on the public spaces or in private places will be limited to 10 people," he said. "The country has never been confined as it is today. Obviously, it cannot be sustainable. Because if confinement was a necessary step, if it lasts too long, it can have deleterious effects."
Jean-Noël Tronc, CEO of rights society SACEM, noted that the government's roadmap for deconfinement makes it hard for the creative sector to resume activities. "If the life of our country is going to resume, in a very progressive way and with still many restrictions, culture and music will remain largely excluded from it, and for a long time," commented Tronc. "Theaters, concert halls and cinemas remain closed until further notice, and there will be no events of more than 5,000 people -- including festivals of course -- before September at the earliest."
He added: "For the cultural and creative industries, which are at a standstill, the state of economic emergency remains and sets in over time. It risks delivering a fatal and irreversible blow to our creators and our cultural diversity."
> Sofia speeds up payments to authors and publishers
The board of directors of Sofia, the French collective representing 10,000 authors and some 500 publishers to collects the proceeds of the lending right to libraries, has adopted emergency measures to assist its members.
To help its members, Sofia has also decided to bring forward the full distribution from payment from private copying rights initially scheduled for late June/early July 2020. This remuneration, totalling €11.3m, will therefore be paid during the month of May or at the latest at the beginning of June 2020 to authors and publishers.
In conjunction with the other collective management organisations related to books and authors (SCAM, CFC, ADAGP, SAIF), Sofia has decided to supplement the emergency aid fund for authors set up by the Centre National du Livre (National Book Center) and managed by the SGDL, with up to €450,000, to reach €1 million in total with the other other collective management organisations.
In addition, Sofia has decided to to contribute to the CNL emergency aid fund to support the most fragile independent publishing houses, with an allocation of €150,000. "Pending a recovery plan, which we hope to be ambitious for the sector, it was important for Sofia to also participate in maintaining the most fragile publishing structures," said the organisation.
> Petitions call for government to renew rights on intermittent workers
Over 160,000 people signed a petition to French Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud, and Culture Minister Franck Riester, urging them to renew automatically the rights of intermittent workers in the live sector for 12 months. The petition was launched by a collective named Black Year 2020.
The Black Year 2020 collective said the initiative aims to "respond to an unprecedented social and health crisis, and the impossibility of working and therefore to open or re-open our rights to unemployment insurance."
The French system for workers in the creative sector that don't have full-time jobs is based on a specific numbers of days worked in the year to be eligible for unemployment benefits. However, workers claim that since there is no work as all live activity has been shut down, they will not be able to clock the number of days this year and lose their benefits.
In addition, another petition, started by Jean-Claude Fall, former president of creative sectors' union Syndeac, also called for “the rights of intermittent workers to be extended by a year beyond the months during which all activity has not been possible." This petition was backed by some 40,000 signatories.
In a hearing with the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Education of the National Assembly, Riester said that "the emergency measures taken for intermittent workers are not enough. We are working on more sustainable measures to support them beyond May 15, 2020."
> Emergency aid from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to the arts reached €51.6 million
France's Ministry of Economy and Finance said that €51.6 million in aid has been paid through a solidarity fund to support the arts, live and recreational activities, as of April 29. The overall fund was of €1.35 billion and was paid in the form of tax-free aid and exemption from social charges of up to €1,500.
The conditions of access to the solidarity fund have been extended to companies with up to 20 employees (instead of 10 previously) and up to €2m in turnover (instead of €1m). Subsidies are now capped at €10,000, instead of €5,000.
Australian philanthropists have joined forces to create a million-dollar fund for artists left impoverished by the Covid-19 pandemic through The Sidney Myer Fund's new National Assistance Program for the Arts. The programme will provide CA$1000 grants to cover food, rent, phone bills and internet access for arts workers impacted by the closure of galleries, studio, concert hall and theater.
Contributors include Andrew Forrest's Minderoo Foundation, Andrew Myer, Copyright Foundation chair Kim Williams, Venice Biennale Council chairwoman Kerry Gardner, Catriona and Simon Mordant, the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation, W & A Johnson Family Foundation, Nunn Dimos Foundation, Darin Cooper Foundation, Doc Ross Family Foundation and Inner North Community Foundation.
Sydney Morning Herald reported that the funds will be "directed to Australia’s creative sector to enable artists to resume their lives and livelihoods as recovery from shutdowns begins, according to founding documents." Applications will be assessed on the basis of need, experience and talent, and previous recipients of the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship will provide expert peer review.
The Black Year 2020 collective said the initiative aims to "respond to an unprecedented social and health crisis, and the impossibility of working and therefore to open or re-open our rights to unemployment insurance."
The French system for workers in the creative sector that don't have full-time jobs is based on a specific numbers of days worked in the year to be eligible for unemployment benefits. However, workers claim that since there is no work as all live activity has been shut down, they will not be able to clock the number of days this year and lose their benefits.
In addition, another petition, started by Jean-Claude Fall, former president of creative sectors' union Syndeac, also called for “the rights of intermittent workers to be extended by a year beyond the months during which all activity has not been possible." This petition was backed by some 40,000 signatories.
In a hearing with the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Education of the National Assembly, Riester said that "the emergency measures taken for intermittent workers are not enough. We are working on more sustainable measures to support them beyond May 15, 2020."
> Emergency aid from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to the arts reached €51.6 million
France's Ministry of Economy and Finance said that €51.6 million in aid has been paid through a solidarity fund to support the arts, live and recreational activities, as of April 29. The overall fund was of €1.35 billion and was paid in the form of tax-free aid and exemption from social charges of up to €1,500.
The conditions of access to the solidarity fund have been extended to companies with up to 20 employees (instead of 10 previously) and up to €2m in turnover (instead of €1m). Subsidies are now capped at €10,000, instead of €5,000.
AUSTRALIA
> Australian philanthropists contribute to relief fund
Contributors include Andrew Forrest's Minderoo Foundation, Andrew Myer, Copyright Foundation chair Kim Williams, Venice Biennale Council chairwoman Kerry Gardner, Catriona and Simon Mordant, the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation, W & A Johnson Family Foundation, Nunn Dimos Foundation, Darin Cooper Foundation, Doc Ross Family Foundation and Inner North Community Foundation.
Sydney Morning Herald reported that the funds will be "directed to Australia’s creative sector to enable artists to resume their lives and livelihoods as recovery from shutdowns begins, according to founding documents." Applications will be assessed on the basis of need, experience and talent, and previous recipients of the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship will provide expert peer review.
UK
> UK Music urges British government to 'save the live industry'
Tom Kiehl, the acting CEO of music industry umbrella body UK Music, has urged the UK government to "act to save our live industry." In an op-ed published by IQ magazine, Kiehl said it was "impossible to overstate the pain coronavirus is causing to the live music sector which contributes £1.1 billion a year to our economy and sustains more than 30,000 jobs."
Festivals got cancelled but many "said their insurance will not cover Covid-19," while many other shave already spent money on artists and infrastructure. "They rightly feel they are among those falling through the gaps in the safety net on offer from the government," wrote Kiehl.
Kiehl cited the Music Venue Trust, which disclosed that more than 550 music venues are under immediate threat of closure because of the economic impact of the lockdown. "As the umbrella body and voice of the music business, UK Music is pressing the government to do more to help the whole sector including the live music industry," wrote Kiehl.
Kiehl noted that music venues are beneficiaries of business rate relief, but "this should be extended to the entire supply chain in the music industry to include service companies, sound firms, lighting suppliers and others involved in event production." He also advocated for VAT breaks on the price of tickets to provide incentives to businesses and consumers to put on and go to live music shows.
The government, he added, "needs to give the industry an idea about how long the restrictions on social distancing will remain so businesses can plan ahead. If parts of the economy can go back to work before the live music sector, it is critical the government does not turn off the tap and scrap the support packages on offer."
He concluded: "The music industry needs a road map from government so it can plan a route out of the destruction caused by coronavirus."
> PRS Emergency Relief Fund raises over £2.1m
Since its launch in March, the PRS Emergency Relief Fund, set up by British rights society PRS for Music, has raised over £2.1m to help its members severely financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and has paid out more than £1.2m.
The Relief Fund was formed in collaboration with PRS for Music’s charity partners PRS Foundation and PRS Members’ Fund. It has helped so far over 3,000 songwriters and composers.
“We have seen first-hand the difference the PRS Emergency Relief Fund has made and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has donated so far," said Andrea C Martin, CEO of PRS for Music. "Our members are under threat as many parts of the music scene grind to a halt. They need to eat, support their families and pay rent – without industry support the future is challenging during this terrible time. Together we can get through this.”
> AIM activates the Covid-19 Crisis Support fund
British indie label's body AIM has started allocating funds from the AIM Covid-19 Crisis Support fund, aimed at contractors who work with emerging artists and have lost work as a result of Covid-19. With an initial allocation of £500,000, contributed by AIM and its community, the fund plans to eventually distribute £1,000 to 1,000 workers. "This support fund aimed at contractors and freelance workers in the independent music industry whose source of income has been severed without warning due to lost work in April and May as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic," wrote AIM.
Tom Kiehl, the acting CEO of music industry umbrella body UK Music, has urged the UK government to "act to save our live industry." In an op-ed published by IQ magazine, Kiehl said it was "impossible to overstate the pain coronavirus is causing to the live music sector which contributes £1.1 billion a year to our economy and sustains more than 30,000 jobs."
Festivals got cancelled but many "said their insurance will not cover Covid-19," while many other shave already spent money on artists and infrastructure. "They rightly feel they are among those falling through the gaps in the safety net on offer from the government," wrote Kiehl.
Kiehl cited the Music Venue Trust, which disclosed that more than 550 music venues are under immediate threat of closure because of the economic impact of the lockdown. "As the umbrella body and voice of the music business, UK Music is pressing the government to do more to help the whole sector including the live music industry," wrote Kiehl.
Kiehl noted that music venues are beneficiaries of business rate relief, but "this should be extended to the entire supply chain in the music industry to include service companies, sound firms, lighting suppliers and others involved in event production." He also advocated for VAT breaks on the price of tickets to provide incentives to businesses and consumers to put on and go to live music shows.
The government, he added, "needs to give the industry an idea about how long the restrictions on social distancing will remain so businesses can plan ahead. If parts of the economy can go back to work before the live music sector, it is critical the government does not turn off the tap and scrap the support packages on offer."
He concluded: "The music industry needs a road map from government so it can plan a route out of the destruction caused by coronavirus."
> PRS Emergency Relief Fund raises over £2.1m
Since its launch in March, the PRS Emergency Relief Fund, set up by British rights society PRS for Music, has raised over £2.1m to help its members severely financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and has paid out more than £1.2m.
The Relief Fund was formed in collaboration with PRS for Music’s charity partners PRS Foundation and PRS Members’ Fund. It has helped so far over 3,000 songwriters and composers.
“We have seen first-hand the difference the PRS Emergency Relief Fund has made and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has donated so far," said Andrea C Martin, CEO of PRS for Music. "Our members are under threat as many parts of the music scene grind to a halt. They need to eat, support their families and pay rent – without industry support the future is challenging during this terrible time. Together we can get through this.”
> AIM activates the Covid-19 Crisis Support fund
British indie label's body AIM has started allocating funds from the AIM Covid-19 Crisis Support fund, aimed at contractors who work with emerging artists and have lost work as a result of Covid-19. With an initial allocation of £500,000, contributed by AIM and its community, the fund plans to eventually distribute £1,000 to 1,000 workers. "This support fund aimed at contractors and freelance workers in the independent music industry whose source of income has been severed without warning due to lost work in April and May as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic," wrote AIM.
SPAIN
> Concert promoters ask for 'urgent dialogue' with government
A collective of organisations representing the Spanish live music industry, including promoters’ body Asociación de Promotores Musicales (APM), live music venues's Asociación Estatal de Salas de Música en Directo (Acces) and performing arts companies Federación Estatal de Asociaciones de Empresas de Teatro y Danza (Faeteda) have urged the government to start an “urgent dialogue” to design measures that would lead to the reopening of cultural activities. The coalition argued that the government's March 14 measures, limiting events to 1,000 people and under and only allowing venues to fill in a third of their full capacity, are not workable financially and would “automatically make shows unsustainable."
A collective of organisations representing the Spanish live music industry, including promoters’ body Asociación de Promotores Musicales (APM), live music venues's Asociación Estatal de Salas de Música en Directo (Acces) and performing arts companies Federación Estatal de Asociaciones de Empresas de Teatro y Danza (Faeteda) have urged the government to start an “urgent dialogue” to design measures that would lead to the reopening of cultural activities. The coalition argued that the government's March 14 measures, limiting events to 1,000 people and under and only allowing venues to fill in a third of their full capacity, are not workable financially and would “automatically make shows unsustainable."
CHINA
> China expect film box-office to halve in 2020
China’s National Film Administration expects national film box office will drop by nearly half this year, following the nation-wide closure of cinemas since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The NFA forecasts that box office revenue could drop from RMB64.3 billion ($9.2bn) in 2019 to RMB30bn ($4.24bn) in 2020.
China’s National Film Administration expects national film box office will drop by nearly half this year, following the nation-wide closure of cinemas since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The NFA forecasts that box office revenue could drop from RMB64.3 billion ($9.2bn) in 2019 to RMB30bn ($4.24bn) in 2020.
"The epidemic has created an unprecedented crisis for the film industry, and is forcing it to reform and upgrade itself,” said Wang Xiaohui, the director of NFA. Variety reported that theaters in China have been shut since late January, and there is currently no date set for when they might reopen.