Words by Ellie-Mae Fenn.
With the government’s latest announcement delaying the ease of restrictions, venues up and down the country have been forced to reschedule and postpone events once again, much to their horror, but how can you help?
With the industry starting to come back to life, Birmingham was preparing to welcome our favourite artists and bands back. Plans of unrestricted shows and events just in time to welcome the summer months, but restrictions have struck again; the new date we now await with anticipation is July 19th.
It’s no secret that venues and the events industry as a whole has been repeatedly hit with financial struggles and endured such a lack of support throughout the duration of the pandemic. This latest announcement comes without the provision of any further financial help to the event and hospitality industry, crippling many in the sector further.
The sense of community throughout Brum’s music scene is undeniable, and this latest announcement begs the question, ‘how can we help’ and ‘what can we do to support our favourite venues and local musicians’?
Let’s ensure we are playing our part to make Birmingham’s music scene thrive, and return stronger than ever.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Be Considerate
Let the venue know in advance if you can’t make the event, this helps them to advertise cancelation slots and will still allow the chance for them to have a full house. A full house means a successful night. Over in the hospitality industry, restaurants are up in arms about no-shows and cancellations; The Wilderness have been tweeting out every time they get cancellations in the hope of filling spots last minute –
Online Engagement
If you aren’t already, follow your favourite venues and artists on their social channels. Share their updates and latest gig announcements – it costs us nothing. For the venues and artists, more engagement means more custom and awareness of the business.
Invest in local artists and bands
Buy official merchandise, pre-order upcoming releases on Bandcamp or Spotify. This ensures more engagement and allows for a cut of money to be sent to the musicians directly – supporting them in a time where live performance is so limited.
Keep your tickets and buy more!
The initial shows you had tickets for will more than likely be rescheduled and if not, a refund will be given. There’s no better way to support the industry than demonstrating your commitment and anticipation for their return than by holding onto your tickets and going to the rescheduled show.
Research Hardship Funds
The detrimental, financial blows venues and the hospitality industry have endured is devastating, so hardship funds are a great way to give support if you’re in a position to contribute, however big or small.
Check out: Musicians Union – MU Coronavirus Hardship Fund, Arts Council England and Help Musicians.
Also check out: Call on Government to invest in musicians at the heart of our £5.8bn industry.
Whether you can afford to donate to a hardship fund, or just share and engage with a post on Instagram, every kind of support matters right now. As we wait in anticipation, let’s ensure we are playing our part to make Birmingham’s music scene thrive, and return stronger than ever. Roll on July 19th.
