Read on Twitter
Our #FutureOfFestivalsInquiry session on the cultural and economic impact of the UK's music festivals starts at 10am.
Watch live: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/e4cf0a19-99c6-4177-9c3e-fad00caf0548
@julianknight15 https://twitter.com/CommonsDCMS/status/1356166146597261312
Watch live: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/e4cf0a19-99c6-4177-9c3e-fad00caf0548
@julianknight15 https://twitter.com/CommonsDCMS/status/1356166146597261312
If social distancing is still in place in August, @NHCarnivalLDN won't be able to go ahead as normal - but it could continue in a different format because, as CEO Matthew Phillip tells @julianknight15, it "means too much to too many people".
But @rowan__cannon from @_wildrumpus explains that the festival sector is diverse and many could still go ahead with social distancing. With infrastructure in place and changes to how things are done "our festivals could be safer than Sainsbury's".
Does reopening of society, including live events, need to be linked to success of vaccination programme asks @BrineMP? @NHCarnivalLDN agrees organisers need to know at what point in vaccine roll-out events will be able to take place.
Artists and creative projects that have lost out because of festival cancellations need support. Young talent is less resilient than established artists, so although the festival sector will bounce back the talent pipeline might struggle says @_wildrumpus.
In response to @DamianGreen, Matthew Phillip says @NHCarnivalLDN worked hard to discourage people from taking to the streets last year but come August if large gatherings can't happen but small indie venues/licensed premises can open we may end up with something unmanaged.
Tour manager @Tre_TM tells @HeatherWheeler that between a third and a half of an act's income comes from festivals - festivals are "a lynchpin that the touring ecosystem works around" to bookend a tour, exposing big and small artists to new audiences, etc.
A #WeMakeEvents survey showed 30% of freelancers have had to leave the industry Duncan Bell tells @KevinBrennanMP. Nearly 20% hope to come back but will need certainty that the events will happen and the work will be there for them. They can't dip in and out.
Could festival sector be structured to provide greater employment stability asks @KevinBrennanMP? Duncan Bell from #WeMakeEvents says the structure typically works well as people working at festivals move into other parts of live music/commercial event sectors over rest of year.
. @DamianGreen what should Govt do to help sector to pilot Covid-safe festivals? Duncan Bell @WeMakeEventsoff: work with the sector to determine a roadmap for safe events, including a plan for testing. Also sustain financial support or public money spent so far will be for nothing
The UK-EU trade deal affects viability of events and companies says @WeMakeEventsoff. @Tre_TM explains that UK tour bus companies can't function under current haulage rules, and it is putting them at a competitive disadvantage.
