December 17th 2020

Policy Briefing: Securing the Future of Liverpool City Region’s Live and Dance Music Sector

This week, board member Dr Mat Flynn, who is a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, published his latest paper: Securing the Future of Liverpool City Region’s Live and Dance Music Sector.

In recent weeks, board members have contributed to Mat’s research with Liverpool University’s Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, which explores the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on Liverpool City Region’s live music scene, and outlines five steps that local and national policy-makers can take to protect and reinvigorate the industry whilst the pandemic remains.

 

Policy brief

Key takeaways from the briefing are:

  1. Liverpool and music are synonymous. The music sector plays an integral role in both the cultural and economic life of the Liverpool City Region (LCR), and underpins its national and international recognition and reputation. For example, music-related tourism contributed an estimated £186m in 2019 to the regional economy.
  2. The LCR’s live and dance music sector has been operationally and economically devastated during the Coronavirus pandemic by the near year-long adherence to national and locally-tiered lock downs and social distancing restrictions.
  3. Although support was introduced early on in the pandemic response through the LCR Music Industry Support Fund and other financial measures, research by Bido Lito! and the University of Liverpool indicates the significant economic impact of the crisis on music-makers, promoters, freelancers, and small and medium sized businesses. Many were ineligible for the various state support schemes.
  4. Building on Liverpool’s community testing programme, piloting the use of rapid testing in venues in early 2021 could kick-start the events sector’s recovery and edge venues back toward normal operations. Other recommendations include a business rates exemption, a “seat subsidy” scheme, and a sustained marketing campaign.
  5. A coordinated effort between local and combined authorities, the Liverpool City Region Music Board and venues, promoters, and festival organisers is essential to rebuild the confidence to put on performances and events and attract audiences.

Read the Policy Briefing here: Policy Brief 032: Securing the Future of Liverpool City Region’s Live and Dance Music Sector