88% of the participants think that British government doesn’t support enough those artists.
A new research made by the MU(Musicians Union) in the UK has revealed the heavy debt that the Coronavirus has taken on UK artists. In their poll, 34% of musicians said that they were considering abandoning their music careers all together, while 37% were not sure. 47% have been forced to take work outside of the music business and 36% do not have work at all. 70% say they have not been able to undertake more than a quarter of their work, which is incredibly problematic when combined with the average income of most musicians.
65% of musicians are facing financial hardship at the moment and 87% will face financial hardship if the government’s income support ends at the end of October, which it is set to. 87% musicians will be earning less than £20,000 this year, which is well below the UK average income of £29,600.
Finally, 88% of musicians do not think the government has done enough to support musicians during the pandemic.
The government announced a £1.57 billion relief package for the arts and cultural sectors in July, though nightlife and festivals have been largely left out of the equation. New lockdown measures will close businesses at 10pm potentially for six months, though who can predict anything six months into the future, which will mean nightlife may have to survive without income for the hardest winter in generations.
Recently, an interview with the ITV News portal, UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak’s statement that musicians should find a new job has been a subject of great debate in the country. “It is not true to say that everyone can continue to do what they did at the beginning of the crisis,” said the minister, and in his interview about the government’s aid packages to the culture and arts sector, program host Daniel Hewitt said, “What you have expressed in the support packages means new business sectors, right? Are you telling people to go and find a new job? ” Minister answered his question as follows: “That is a fresh and new opportunity for people. That’s exactly what we should be doing. I think probably you’re not being quite right in that there is no work available for everyone at all. And actually funnily enough-… As in all walks of life, everyone is having to adapt.”
What's Rishi Sunak's message to musicians, actors, freelancers in the arts who don't feel govt is supporting them? Should they get a different job?
The Chancellor told me it's "not right that there's no work available…and everyone is having to adapt." @ITVNewsPolitics pic.twitter.com/ewrQixpAne
— Daniel Hewitt (@DanielHewittITV) October 6, 2020
