News: London Mayor Sadiq Khan Announces £450,000 Emergency Fund For Grassroots Venues

The mayor of London Sadiq Khan, along with Night Czar Amy Lamé (who works with the mayor in order “to keep the capital safe, vibrant and diverse at night.”) have stated in press release on the mayor’s official website that City Hall will be allocating £450,000 to aid Grassroots music venues in their survival amidst the coronavirus pandemic, which has battered the music industry across the globe in a truly unprecedented manner.

Governments across the world have shown little to no concern for the arts and culture sector in general, which has left millions in the various sectors of industry without livelihoods.

With music venues, especially grassroots venues, we have seen a devastating loss as many venues and nightclubs have been forced to shut their doors; with the majority of live music events being postponed or outright cancelled – everyone from event organisers, to sound engineers and lighting technicians have been left jobless, as not only have musicians themselves been severely affected. Although all funding is welcomed, it has simply not been enough – especially for the UK music and nightlife industries.

In the press release, the allocation of the funds have been revealed along with statements from those involved:

The Mayor’s Culture at Risk Business Support Fund is helping to provide advice and guidance to 141 grassroots music venues who have been badly impacted by Covid-19.14 venues have received a total of £178,000 in funding so far with more to be given in the coming months. The venues – who have had to close their doors for six months – have been receiving one-to-one support from the Music Venue Trust, thanks to the Mayor’s Culture at Risk Business Support Fund.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated:

London’s music scene is the envy of the world and integral to our economy at night, but it has been devastated by the impact of Covid-19. I am pleased that we have been able to support music venues with essential advice and support to stay in business, and provide funding for those most in need to cover rent and other ongoing expenses at this challenging time. We will continue to do all we can to help, including pushing the Government to protect jobs and provide the clear guidance that is required so they can plan for their future in our capital.

London’s world-leading music venues have been devastated by the impact of COVID-19. That’s why I’m giving £450,000 to support 141 grassroots venues across our city, tailored to their unique needs, such as rent disputes, local council discussions, or direct financial aid.

— Mayor of London (gov.uk/coronavirus) (@MayorofLondon) September 21, 2020

Night Czar Amy Lamé shared:

Our grassroots music venues are at the heart of so many of our communities. They bring Londoners together, provide a stage for aspiring artists and boost our night time economy by supporting a wide range of jobs, from artists to promoters, and bar staff and security. We’ve worked hard to support these crucial venues and stabilise their numbers over the last four years, but the impact of Covid-19 has been catastrophic. This funding and support is helping them survive right now, but we urgently need the Government to step forward with a plan to help the industry and prevent the closure of more venues.

The impact of COVID-19 on our grassroots music venues has been devastating. I'm really pleased that through @MayorofLondon Culture at Risk Fund we've helped 141 venues so far with dedicated advice, support and grants.https://t.co/nUQf7pxnzL pic.twitter.com/QNOBzTzNLA

— Night Czar (london.gov.uk/coronavirus) (@nightczar) September 21, 2020

For more information, read the full press release on the Mayor’s official website here.

Feature Image: Eva Dang via Unsplash