Live music sector needs more clarity before festivals can go ahead, industry experts warn

Experts urge caution as festivals try to navigate months ahead of summer 2021

The government is being called upon to offer better support to festivals in order to make live music in summer 2021 a reality.

Earlier this week, fans rejoiced after Reading and Leeds festival organisers announced their plans to go ahead in August.

However, industry bodies have warned there is still not enough clarity for large-scale music events.

Julian Knight MP, the committee chair for the DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), is now urging Rishi Sunak to announce support for festivals in next week’s Budget (3 March), to encourage more festivals to go ahead.

The Treasury rejected an earlier call, which received support from more than 100 organisations and high-profile arts figures, to extend an underwriting scheme offered to other creative industries, including film and TV.

“While we’ve seen welcome news for fans that the Reading and Leeds festivals will happen, the rest of the sector needs more than a roadmap to give them the confidence it takes to get events underway. For some, like Glastonbury, it’s already too late,” Knight said.

He continued: “We’re calling on [chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak] to review that decision now that the government has a better sense of the road to recovery.

“There’s still time ahead of next week’s Budget to give the festivals’ industry, which makes a significant contribution to the economy, the helping hand it needs.”

Greg Parmley, CEO of the live sector umbrella organisation LIVE, toldThe Independent yesterday (25 February) that there was “still a large amount of uncertainty for the live music industry”.

“It will be at least four months before we get any certainty on a reopening date and importantly the government are only committing to provide a weeks’ notice on the lifting of all restrictions, which will be critical for festivals and gigs to go ahead,” he said.

“A government-backed insurance scheme is still vital to reduce the risk the industry faces.  These events take months to plan with large upfront costs and access to insurance will help provide greater confidence to organisers.”

Parmley warned that, even if restrictions were able to lift in summer, it would be a long way from the normality of 2019 for the music industry.

“It is vital the government understands this and provides us with continued financial support in the Budget to reflect this,” he said.