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Good to see $70m in Covid recovery funding for the arts/GLAM sector – but it seems nothing yet for live music venues, which *still* can't operate, or for popular music in general. "More on that in the future," according to the PM. The near future, one would hope.
Ardern did also acknowledge the need for certainty for the summer festivals, and speculated, correctly that their lineups will be all or nearly all local, *if* they go ahead. But artists play Whammy, Neck of the Woods and SFBH before they get to festival stages.
Those venues have always had to make their own way commercially. Central and local government don't fund music venues the way they do theatres. And last year's Creative NZ survey found that musicians are the worst-paid of our artists.
One upshot of that is that venues rely on one thing to keep going: selling booze. They basically *have* to make "whose fans drink more?" a factor in booking acts. This would be the right time to change that. Maybe that's what the government is working on. I really hope so.
We can all help in the meantime by chipping in a little to the brilliant Save Our venues campaign. https://www.saveourvenues.co.nz
Meanwhile, the venues are doing everything they can, with the help of artists who value them. This Saturday night streaming lineup at @notwaucklandnz is incredible. Make it your Saturday entertainment, and pay a little. https://twitter.com/simianaudio/status/1265565057611632643
