As Canada slowly starts to reopen as we continue the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the sad reality is that live music and the venues that offer stages and opportunities are still waiting and wondering and struggling with financial hardships and uncertainty.
In an effort to gain government support for independent music venues, the #SupportCanadianVenues movement has been created by the Canadian Independent Venue Coalition (CIVC).
From coast to coast, hundreds of venues, booking agencies, promoters, production companies and independent festivals have come together to form the new coalition. They have already donated thousands of hours to launch #SupportCanadianVenues, and now it's our turn.
CIVC has put out the call to all music-loving Canadians to join them in requesting support from the government to help independent music venues. The coalition requests that we all share the website, supportcanadianvenues.ca and hashtag #SupportCanadianVenues (in French, souteneznosscenes.ca and #SoutenezNosScènes) to raise awareness and put pressure on the powers that be. They also suggest more engagement, including writing to political representatives as crucial steps to the success of the movement.
We all benefit from a rich and vibrant live music scene. And not just culturally. We know that there are thousands of staff from sound crew to bartenders to bookers and managers and the artists themselves that depend on live shows for their income. And right now, we have no idea when they are going to get back to work and able to return to their normal, or anything that resembles it.
As media members and music fans, we're asking you to join the #SupportCanadianVenues movement, so that there are still stages to be played for emerging local talent and all of your favourite touring bands when it is safe to do so.
This isn't just a "what if" scenario anymore. This is real. Industry research has shown that "96% of the independent music industry across Canada, including over 90% of independent venues, will disappear in a matter of months in the absence of a very significant financial aid package."
This is why CIVC is asking that the government act with a commitment to a substantial aid package of emergency funding. The coalition's stance (and we believe them) is that without this commitment, there will be no live music scene in Canada to come back to when this is all over.
In a press release announcing the #SupportCanadianVenues movement, three quotes were provided from artists whose experience in the Canadian live music scene gives them very credible insight into this situation...
"The Ministry of Heritage needs to see this Music Industry as an important aspect of Canadian Culture, and we're just looking for some guidance, and most importantly some support." - Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene
"I spent most of my life growing up in these smaller venues playing shows, learning how to be a better band. And I think that they're super important for the culture landscape, of at least my own city Toronto, and many other places. I think they deserve support, we need to help our independent venues because they'll continue to help us" - Chris Slorach of METZ
"Art and culture is the very reason why people choose to live here, it brings them joy, we are the lifeblood of this community and it these venues don't survive this pandemic, as a nation there will be no place for us to gather emotionally and creatively" - Desiree Das Gupta of Kaleidoscope Horse
It also included this list of goals the CIVC hope to achieve through their efforts and the #SupportCanadianVenues movement...
* In the midst of a complete shutdown - that is, with no income for an indefinite period of time for independent venues - specific federal support is needed.
* We need the public and artists alike to voice what live venues mean to them. Our continued existence is essential to people's lives and wellbeing.
* We need to educate the government on the role that independent concert venues play in the economic and cultural life of our country. Without us, there is no live music industry in Canada - this is the naked truth.
* Live music venues will be the last to re-open. We need to be in a position to do so as soon as it is safe, and with the public's confidence in our ability to offer safe and incredible events.
We hope that they are successful in reaching these goals. Because as much as we love seeing big shows at Scotiabank Arena and Budweiser Stage we know that the independent stages matter and without them, the scene and culture and future of not only live music but of many, many, many industry and artist careers are in serious jeopardy.
Please visit supportcanadianvenues.ca to learn more and share the link and hashtag #SupportCanadianVenues to show the federal (and provincial and municipal governments) that live music in Canada, and the venues it calls home needs their support.
