Devastating impact of Covid-19 on East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire's music industry revealed
The pandemic wiped out 69,000 jobs nationwide
Today we're hearing about the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on the music industry across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire.
We can reveal the pandemic wiped out 69,000 jobs nationally.
That's one in three of the total workforce.
The report by UK Music found:
- Employment plunged by 35% from 197,000 in 2019 to 128,000 in 2020
- Music industry’s economic contribution fell 46% from £5.8bn to £3.1bn in 2020
- Music exports dropped 23% from £2.9 billion in 2019 to £2.3 billion in 2020
- It's now calling on the Government to implement:
- Tax incentives for the music industry to stimulate growth and jobs
- Urgent action to remove the barriers to touring the EU
- A permanent reduction in VAT rate on live music event tickets
- More funding and support for music exports
- Boosting funding for music education and for the self-employed to help secure the talent pipeline
- UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said the past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging .
- "We're determined to look to the future and focus on recovery.
- “Music matters to us all. In a year when we’ve seen just how important music is to all our lives, it’s more important than ever that we take the necessary steps to protect, strengthen and grow the industry.
- “In our Music Industry Strategic Recovery Plan we identify the policy interventions required and set out a clear action plan to get the industry back up on its feet.
- “With the right support, the UK music industry can help drive the post-pandemic recovery.
- "This Is Music sets out the positive role the music industry can play in our country’s future, and the steps that need to be taken to achieve that.
- “Music is a key national asset, part of our history and our heritage. More than that, it’s part of our future and we can’t value it highly enough.”
- Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the pandemic has had a huge impact.
- “I know how difficult the last year and a half has been – with venues closed, stages dark, and artists prevented from doing what they love.
- "The whole industry has shown great strength, patience and resilience during these hard times, pulling together to help the whole country get through the COVID-19 crisis.
- “Our £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund has been a vital lifeline, helping music organisations across the UK to survive one of the worst peacetime crises on record.
- "As doors reopened, our Events Research Programme has enabled music events to return safely.
- “We have also listened carefully to UK Music’s arguments about a market failure regarding events insurance, and introduced the Government-backed £700 million Live Events Reinsurance Scheme to ensure future events can be planned with certainty.
- “Until now, our focus has been rescue and reopening. Now the priority is to ensure a strong recovery.
- "The UK music industry is one of our country’s great national assets, and I give my commitment that the Government will continue to back it every step of the way.”
Grimsby born singer Michael Dore says the figures are shocking.
"A lot of people have given up because they couldn't just hang around and wait for the next studio, cruise or musical tour to happen, because it just didn't happen.
"It isn't just a job, it's a vocation that we love to do, but everybody has to pay their mortgages and rent and survive.
"It's been very sad, difficult, very difficult. I'm sad for all the people who've had a real struggle.
"I've been lucky to survive it."