Live performance and entertainment bodies welcome Federal Government’s funding extension

Live Performance Australia (LPA) and the Live Entertainment Industry Forum (LEIF) have this morning welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of $135 million in funding for the creative economy.

Having lobbied for support for the industry in Canberra earlier this week, both bodies were pleased with the $125 million extension of the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund and the additional $10 million for Support Act.

With capacity restrictions for venues being lifted across the country, LPA Chief Executive Evelyn Richardson said industry recovery is uneven, with parts of the live music and entertainment industry still unable to fully reactivate due to ongoing restrictions but preparing for full activation in Q4 and into 2022.

Richardson advised “with JobKeeper ending this month, the music and live entertainment industry has a significant gap in Q2 and Q3 as it is unable to fully reactivate due to COVID-19 restrictions, notably venue capacity limits, border uncertainties and barriers to international acts entering Australia.

 “While we are now seeing more of our theatre productions back on stage, Australia’s live music industry is gearing to deliver events in Q4 onwards. We need to ensure we retain our critical skills base and businesses across the supply chain including artists, crew, technical businesses, managers, promoters and agents.

“A boost to the existing RISE program to get more shows and acts on stages nationally will provide considerable community stimulus to both upstream and downstream businesses which are driven off the back of Australia’s $15 billion live performance industry.

“Extending the scope of the RISE program will provide a targeted and temporary measure for the sector to retain its core skills base as it prepares for full reactivation in Q4 onwards. In addition to music promoters and festivals, this will encourage more direct applications from micro-businesses such as managers and booking agents for contemporary music tours and events.

“It will also help support employment retention in the live music sector over the next six months when it will still be operating well below capacity. Making it easier for businesses to get support to plan shows and claim pre-production costs, which includes key entertainment workers, is critical.

“Lowering the threshold of grant applications will provide more direct support to emerging artist tours and events as well as larger commercial entities.

“We look forward to working with the government to get this money out the door as quickly as possible. This investment by government will help us keep companies alive, projects moving and people in jobs.”

Geoff Jones, LEIF Co-Chair and Chief Executive of TEG, noted “we commend the Federal Government wholeheartedly for this package and its recognition that our industry just wants to get back to business.

“The Government’s boost to the RISE funding will play an important role in enabling us to do that, along with its welcome boost to Support Act to help some of the most vulnerable people in our industry through what continues to be an extremely challenging time.

“Our next step is to work with The Federal Government, State and Territory Governments and National Cabinet to enable Australia to lead the world in live entertainment.”

Roger Field, President and Chief Executive of Live Nation Asia Pacific, added “we welcome the package announced today and commend the Federal Government for giving the industry the time to make its case.

“Our next step is to work with all Governments to enable 100% venue capacities, bring leading international touring artists into the country and enable them and domestic artists to plan national tours so we can plot a path back to growth that benefits the Australian economy, and the wellbeing of the Australian public, which loves live entertainment.”

Image: Industry representatives meeting with Federal Minister for the Arts Paul Fletcher (fourth from left), including the LPA's Evelyn Richardson (fourth from right) and LEIF's Roger Field (far right).