Creative organisations request targeted support for freelancers in letter to the Chancellor

Signed by over 120 organisations from across the creative industry, the letter warns the Treasury of devastation of the performing arts without government support

An open letter coordinated by the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) and Equity and signed by over 120 organisations and industry bodies from across the creative industry, including PRS for Music, was sent to the Chancellor on 19 August calling on the government to extend financial support for freelancers working in the performing arts and entertainment industries until the spring of 2021.

Creative industry bodies have warned that cultural venues cannot afford to reopen on the basis of social distancing and stated that without a financial intervention targeted at the freelance community, the government risks the devastation of the performing arts and an exodus of highly skilled talent.

The letter

Dear Chancellor

We are writing as representative organisations from across the creative industries in response to the recent announcement that socially distanced live indoor performances can now take place from 15 August.

We welcome this news, which is a step in the right direction as part of the government’s five-stage roadmap for reopening. However, we are requesting that you extend government support for freelancers working in the performing arts and entertainment industries from the end of the SelfEmployment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) until the spring of 2021 to provide vital support for the many thousands of creative professionals who still cannot work because of COVID-19. Without this, our sector risks an exodus of talent and a sudden decline.

Actors, musicians, dancers, singers, stage management, variety acts, creative team members and other freelancers have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Many of them have lost all their scheduled work from March 2020 on into 2021, leaving them in severe financial hardship. The SEISS has helped some creative professionals get through these challenging times but it is due to come to an end very shortly, which presents serious problems for the health of our sector.

The recently announced £1.57 billion arts support package is extremely welcome and will undoubtedly help many venues and performing arts organisations, but there is no indication yet as to what will be available to the freelance workforce. Freelancers make up approximately one third of the creative industries workforce, and in the case of musicians, performers and the creative team, the majority.

Socially distanced indoor live performances can now take place. However, the difficulties venues will face in covering costs with reduced income from tickets, audience uncertainty, and the time it takes for venues to schedule and prepare, means that over the coming months the number of live performances taking place will be some way short of what it was pre-COVID-19.

With a return to full live indoor performances unlikely to happen in the near future, the earnings potential for creatives across the sector will be severely curtailed for at least the rest of this year.

So far, the SEISS has provided some financial support for freelancers in our sector– but many have been inadequately covered. New graduates, international artists, parents and carers, and working class artists have disproportionately missed out on any support. However, even those who are eligible for the second payment will only be covered by the scheme until August. From September onwards, every single freelance creative will be without government financial support and unlikely to be able to return to their work in full. This will be devastating for them, and for the industry.

For example, the majority of musicians earn less than £20,000 per year–well below UK average earnings–and the same is true of actors, variety artists, stage management, creative team members, singers and dancers. Without further targeted government support for freelancers, many of our most talented creatives will be forced–because of circumstances beyond their control–to leave their professions. This would be all our loss as well as theirs. Therefore, in the interests of our sector and the country, we ask that the SEISS is extended until the spring of 2021.

We need a new scheme for our sector in its unique circumstance which covers all of its freelance artists, no matter what their career or background. Our organisations have multiple cost-efficient solutions for how such support can be given, and we extend an open invitation to engage with us on closing the gaps and securing our multi-billion pound sector of the economy.

Without support for our freelance workforce in the months to come, the great global success story which is our industry is in unprecedented peril.

Yours sincerely

List of signatories

Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive, Incorporated Society of Musicians
Christine Payne, General Secretary, Equity
Maureen Beattie, President, Equity
Paul W Fleming, General Secretary-Elect, Equity
Alan Watt, Chief Executive, Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Paul Pacifico, CEO, AIM
Clarice Goff, Marketing Manager, Allianz Musical Insurance
Russell Martin, Director, Artquest
Freya Jewitt, Marketing and Communications Manager, Arts Emergency
Sue Sandlee, Director of Development, ArtsEd
Mark Pemberton, Director, Association of British Orchestra
Adam Mezzatesta, Owner, Bands For Hire Ltd
Susanne Kittlinger, Marketing & Office Manager, British Association of Picture Libraries & Agencies
Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, Bectu
Daniella Gluck, Founder and Managing Director, Black Dress Code Ltd
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive, BPI & BRIT Awards
Dan Hayhurst, Senior Manager: Special Projects, British Association for Performing Arts Medicine
Claire Cordeaux, Director, British Association for Performing Arts Medicine
Dominic McGonigal, Chair, C8 Associates
Kathron Sturrock, Artistic Director, Fibonacci Sequence, Chamber Music Ensemble
Sandra Booth, Director of Policy, CHEAD Council for Higher Education in Art and Design
Ian George, Director of Festivals, Cheltenham Festivals
Michael Smith, Director, Cog Design
Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive, Creative Industries Federation
Simon Yeo, Head of Service, Cumbria Music Service/Music Education Hub
Kathryn Templeman, Chair of The Board of Trustees, Dalcroze UK
Andy Harrower, Chief Executive, Directors UK
Jonathan Thorne, CEO, Duet Group
Peter Futcher, Director of Education, Duet Group
Philippa Dodds John, Trustee, Edgar Bainton (UK) Society
James McAulay, CEO, Encore Musicians
Katy Spicer, Chief Executive & Artistic Director, English Folk Dance & Song Society
Lorna Aizlewood, Chair, English Folk Dance & Song Society
Rachel Elliott, Education Director, English Folk Dance and Song Society
Jan Hassan, Freelance Creative Pattern cutter, Fashion industry
Fashion Roundtable
David Martin, GM, Featured Artists Coalition (FAC)
Laura Hennessy, Freelance Drama Education Practitioner, Freelance
Jonathan Tunnell, Orchestra Manager - Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra, Glyndebourne
Lynne Williams, Principal, Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Naomi Cook, Music Publisher, HarperCollins
James Ainscough, Chief Executive, Help Musicians
Geraldine Allen, Partner, Impulse Music Consultants
David Saint, Chair, Incorporated Association of Organists
Atholl Swainston-Harrison, Chief Executive, International Artist Managers' Association
Crispin Hunt, Chair, Ivors Academy
David Ward, Executive Director, JAMES: Joint Audio Media Education Support
Peter Broadbent, Music Director, Joyful Company of Singers
Vicky Prior, Director, League of Culture
Carole Coombes, Music Publisher, Lindsay Music
Nina Swann, Executive Director, Live Music Now
Lee Ward, Director of Music, Liverpool Cathedral
Chrissy Kinsella, Chief Executive, London Music Fund
Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director, London Symphony Orchestra
Tom farrell, Manager, Mansons guitar Shop
Claire Murphy-Morgan, Artistic Director, Monkfish Productions
David Kesel, Managing Director, MTB Exams
Paul Martin, Director, Mundo Music Gear
Sharon Heal, Director, Museums Association
Fiona Pendreigh, Chair, Music Education Council
Dr Elizabeth Stafford, Director, Music Education Solutions
Paul McManus, CEO, Music Industries Association
Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive, Music Managers Forum
Cameron Craig, Executive Director, Music Producers Guild
Roberto Neri, Chair, Music Publishers Association
Simon Toyne, President, Music Teachers' Association
Fran Hannan, Managing Director, Musical Futures
Peter Filleul, Producer, Publisher, Production Management, Musician, Musicare
Horace Trubridge, General Secretary, Musicians' Union
Dave Lee, Chair, Musicians' Union
Aine Lark, Chair, National Drama
John Madden, Artistic Director, National Schools Symphony Orchestra
Lizzie Melbourne, General Manager, National Student Drama Festival
Paul Smethurst, Resident Artist, New Adventures
Douglas Coombes MBE, Composer & Conductor, New English Concert Orchestra
John Bergin, CEO, Newham Music
Michelle Stanistreet, General secretary, National Union of Journalists, NUJ
Sinead O'Carroll, Director, O'Carroll Artist & Project Management
Andrew Hurst, Chief Executive, One Dance UK
Andrew Staples, Co-founder, OneVoiceCampaign
Sarah Hennessy, Chair , Orff Society UK
Anthi Papadopoulos, Chief Operating Officer, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
Peter Leathem, Chief Executive Officer, PPL
Chris O'Reilly, Chief Executive , Presto Music
Andrea C. Martin, Chief Executive Officer, PRS for Music
John Padley, Director of Music and Freelance Musician, Queen Anne's School, Caversham
James Murphy, Chief Executive, Royal Philharmonic Society
Alistair Platt, Director of Business Development, RSL Awards Ltd
Raphael Wallfisch, International Concert Cellist, Self employed
David Jones, Director, Serious and EFG London Jazz Festival
Glynis Murphy, Head of Service, Slough Music Service
Nicola Solomon, Chief Executive, Society of Authors
Victoria Johnson-Henckel, Head of Digital and Audience Engagement , Sound and Music
Philip Flood, Director, Sound Connections
Jacinda Vincent, Music Teacher, Southbank International School
Paul Pacifico, Founder, Specific Music
Sarah Gee, Chief Executive, Spitalfields Music
John Kenward, Music Publisher, Starshine Music
Sarah Leonard, Chairman, The Association of English Singers & Speakers
Stuart Worden, Principal, The BRIT School
Sharon Mark-Teggart, Director & Co-Founder, The Curious Piano Teachers
Sir Mark Featherstone-Witty, Founder/CEO, The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
Abbie Royston, Manager, The Musician's Answering Service
Hugh Lloyd, Clerk, The Musicians' Company
Paul Hoskins, Director of Music, The Purcell School for Young Musicians
Professor Ross Brown, Intrerim Co-Principal, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Evan Dawson, Chief Executive, The Royal Photographic Sociey
Marie-Sophie Willis, Chief Executive, The Sixteen
Paul Reynolds, Chair, The Society for Producers and Composers of Applied Music
Adel Al-salloum, Director, The Spark Arts for Children
Stephen, Director, The Unsigned Guide
Adam Milford, CEO, Theatre Workout Ltd
David Ward, Managing Director, TiME. Technology in Music Education
Sir Nigel Carrington, Vice-Chancellor, UAL
Tom Kiehl, Acting CEO, UK Music
Julian Bird, Chief Executive, UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre
Professor Ian Cross, Chair, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge
Dr. Stewart Thompson, Qualifications Director, Victoria College of Music and Drama, London
Susan Heaton-Wright, MD, Viva Live Music
Ellie Peers, General Secretary, Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Lisa Holdsworth, Chair, Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Susan Jones, Independent arts researcher