Medya Gungor on reaction to the latest announcement about funding for music venues and a UK-wide campaign to support musicians
After government minister Gillian Keegan said two weeks ago that it would be “difficult to envisage” how nightclubs can reopen in the near future, artists and venue owners in areas like Brixton that are dependent on club culture were left feeling even more frustration.
Despite the UK’s nightlife industry being an integral part of our culture and economy – driving £66 billion in revenue a year, the government’s response throughout the pandemic has offered little acknowledgement or compassion towards those involved.
Yesterday’s Arts Council England announcement that 1,385 institutions in England will receive £257m of National Lottery money in grants as part of the Culture Recovery Fund may appear to be progress.
But the work is far from over in supporting individuals in the industry – freelancers, musicians, artists, DJs and all those involved in the sector need further support.
Save our Scene UK is a campaign to raise awareness and funding for musicians who are struggling.
It has already raised more than £3,500 for its partner charity Help Musicians, which focuses solely on providing artists with financial support.
The campaign has been primarily broadcast on Instagram, supported by social media agency Truffle Social.
Save Our Scene founder George Fleming told Brixton Blog that “we must act now to show the government how important music is to our wellbeing and how much we care about protecting this industry for future generations.”
He says that the entire industry is on its knees and live music will not survive unless further plans are put in place.
To spread awareness for its mission and to make some noise for the beloved creative industry, Save our Scene has organised a bike ride taking place tomorrow (14 October) from Hyde Park to Parliament Square at 7pm.
Rickshaws fully equipped with DJ decks and speakers will join the masses of musicians and music lovers cycling in unison to express their support tomorrow evening.
Cyclists will leave Speaker’s Corner at 7.10pm, taking around 30 minutes to reach Parliament Square before dispersing to avoid a mass gathering.
Anyone wishing to drive this important call to action by taking part in the ride must be wearing a face mask and respect social distancing.
To donate funds to help save our musicians, visit Save our Scene’s Just Giving page and follow their updates on Instagram.
