The DCMS Committee has written to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, urging him to extend government-backed insurance schemes to festivals and live music events or face them disappearing for good.
At a crucial point in festival planning schedules, MPs warn that organisers and investors are unable to risk repeating losses sustained in 2020 unless events can be insured against cancellation.
As part of the inquiry into festivals, the AIF gave evidence to MPs this week and issued a five-point plan.
More than 100 industry organisations and figures have now signed a letter from the DCMS Committee to Rishi Sunak. It is also addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
With the commercial insurance market not expected to offer Covid-related insurance until 2022, a government-backed scheme is required for festivals to start planning their events and signing contracts with artists and suppliers.
Insurance must be the first step in unlocking the huge contribution that festivals make to our economy
Julian Knight
The appeal by MPs urges the government to extend to other creative industries the underwriting schemes already offered to the film and television industries.
In 2019, festivals added £1.76 billion in gross value to the economy.
DCMS Committee chair Julian Knight said: “The government is telling us that life should be getting back to normal by the summer but unless it can provide a safety net, it will be a summer without festivals. The industry says that without government-backed insurance, many festivals and live music events just won’t happen because organisers can’t risk getting their fingers burnt for a second year.
“The Committee has heard from festival organisers that this is a matter of urgency. Insurance must be the first step in unlocking the huge contribution that festivals make to our economy, protecting not only the supply chains, but the musicians who rely on them for work.
“The government already offers a level of cover to the film and television industries, now is the time to extend support to other creative industries or risk losing some of our best loved and world-renowned festivals.”
The list of industry signatories is below.
Association of Event Venues
Association of Events Organisers
Event Supplier and Services Association
LIVE (Live music Industry, Venues & Entertainment) The Entertainment Agents’ Association
Association for Electronic Music
Association of Festival Organisers
Association of Independent Festivals
Concert Promoters Association
International Live Music Conference
National Arenas Association
Production Services Association
Music Venue Trust
British Association of Concert Halls
Association of Independent Promoters
Music Managers Forum
Featured Artists Coalition
One Industry One Voice
Professional Lighting and Sound Association
Night Time Industries Association
The Events Industry Forum
Event & Visual Communication Association
Live Comedy Association
HBAA
Let Live Thrive
#WeMakeEvents
UK Music
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers
DF Concerts & Events
Portsmouth Guildhall
Senbla Ltd
Music Publishers Association
Musicians Union
The Ivors Academy
PRS for Music
Association for Independent Music
BPI
PPL
Music Producers Guild
The Flying Music Company Ltd
Flying Entertainment Ltd
The Flying Music Group Ltd
The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Association of Independent Venue Producers Komedia Brighton
Brighton Unitarian Church
Summerhall, Edinburgh
Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Chair of the APPG for Events Barbara Keeley MP, Chair of the APPG for Classical Music Tracy Brabin MP, former Shadow Culture Secretary David Warburton MP, Chair of the APPG for Music Harvey Goldsmith CBE
Simon Miller, Director, Yutree Insurance
Sacha Lord, Co-Founder, Warehouse Project and Parklife, Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser
John Penn, Founder and Strategic Adviser, SSE Audio Group
Dave Crump, CEO Europe and Middle East, Creative Technology Group Ltd
Dave Ridgway, Director, NegEarth Ltd
Bryan Raven, Managing Director, White Light Ltd
Neil Hunt, Managing Director, ZigZag Lighting Ltd
Sean Pagel, Director, Production Services Ireland
Tom Grant, Director, Siyan Limited
Paul Stevart, Viking Audio
Rob Ashworth and Pete Robinson, Directors, dbnAudile
Gary Farrow OBE, Founder and CEO, The Corporation
Toby Leighton-Pope, Chief Executive Officer, AEG Presents
Les Kidger, Director, LCC Live Events
Dan Colman, Managing Director, Dan Colman Creative Ltd
Pablo Janczur, Director, Orchard Live
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Geoff Crow, Director, 21CC Group Ltd
Barrie Marshall MBE, Chairman, Marshall Arts Ltd
David Jones, Director, Serious and EFG London Jazz Festival
Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu
Conal Dodds, Director, Crosstown Concerts
Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries
Scott Arnold, Managing Director, Autograph Sound Recording Ltd
Mark Bonner, Managing Director, Delta Live Ltd
Bob Angus, Chairman, Metropolis Music
Stella Kanu, Executive Director, LIFT Festival
Bernard Donoghue, Director, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions Charlie Wood, Underbelly
Alex Petty, Laughing Horse Festival
Hartley Kemp, Artistic Director, C venues
James Mackenzie, ZOO Venues
John-David Henshaw, Sweet Venues
Dani Rae, Assembly Festival Ltd
Charles Pamment, theSpaceUK
Darrell Martin for Yippee Productions (Edfringe venues)
Tara Stapleton, Greenside Venues Ltd
Julian Caddy, CEO, Brighton Fringe
Steven Adams, Brighton Little Theatre
Paul Kemp, CEO, Brighton & Hove Pride
Adrian Bristow, MD, Brighton Spiegeltent
Ty Jeffries, Vaudelesque Productions
Jan Etches, General Manager, Brighton Toy and Model Museum
Kat Neeser, Brighton Fringe Venue and Artist
Peter Joannou, Brighton Fringe Venue and Artist
Ross Ericson, Grist to the Mill Productions
Michelle Yim, Red Dragonfly Productions
Nicola Haydn, Otherplace Productions
Paul Musselwhite, Komedia
Andrew Comben, CEO, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival
Will Mytum, Brighton Open Air Theatre
David Bleese, Monkey Barrel Comedy
Ashleigh Ward, Pop-Up Brighton
Suzanne Ward, Brighton Fringe Venue and Artist
Ian Baird, MD Whiskey Bravo Productions, Brighton EPIC Chair
Karen and Katy Koren, Gilded Balloon
Drs Maddie Blackburn and Paul Dennison, Brighton Fringe, Embassy Court
John Barrow, Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh Fringe
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