COVID-19/Pandemic Repercussions: Update

“First to close, last to reopen.” While many industries are starting to get back to work in our province and across the country, music (as we all know) faces enormous challenges and will likely be severely impacted into the summer of 2021. Our Executive Director and association have been heavily engaged in the meetings, planning, and advocacy efforts that have been happening nationally and internationally on an ongoing basis since the beginning of the pandemic. We will also be launching a province wide project next week in an effort to support our Saskatchewan independent venues.

CERB Extension

As many working in our industry are aware, the initial and limited scope of the federal CERB support program is soon to run out for many who have relied on it and cannot access other supports, including those freelancing in the live music industry such as sound and lighting techs, tour managers, artists, and many others. Advocacy has been underway for the possibility of extending the program for gig workers and the self-employed, but thus far discussions are not getting very far in parliament.

You can help advocate for an extension of CERB for those who need it desperately to get through this period of no income.

Petitions:

• SaveLiveArts.ca is an initiative started by Canadian Actors' Equity Association (CAEA), Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM/AFM), and the Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Québec (GMMQ): https://www.savelivearts.ca
• Directors Guild of Canada Petition to Extend COVID-19 Emergency Benefits: https://www.change.org/p/justin-trudeau-extend-covid-19-emergency-benefits-prolonger-les-prestations-d-urgence-pour-la-covid-19
• ACTRA Petition to Extend CERB: https://www.actra.ca/take-action/

Latest news pieces:

• Feds fail to get support for latest COVID-19 emergency aid bill (CTV): https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/politics/a-12-minute-meeting-feds-fail-to-get-support-for-latest-covid-19-emergency-aid-bill-1.4977472
• Many Canadians will max out on CERB in July. What happens next? (Global): https://globalnews.ca/news/7039015/canadians-max-out-cerb-what-happens/

Support for Live Venues

The Canadian Live Music Association is “the voice of Canada’s live music industry, advancing and promoting its many economic, social and cultural benefits.” Visit https://canadianlivemusic.ca/ to subscribe to updates, find links to resources and news and learn more.

As of late the CLMA has been advocating to have as many live music stakeholders supported through the $500 million Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations as possible.

A good update is provided in the David Farrell article, “SOS: A Short-Term Blueprint For Saving Canada's Live Music Industry” in FYI Music News :
https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2020/05/29/sos-short-term-blueprint-saving-canadas-live-music-industry

#SupportCanadianVenues Campaign – Canadian Independent Venues Coalition

We invite you to participate in a campaign that aims to bolster support for our industry.

#SupportCanadianVenues is a collective of independent live music venues, agencies, promoters, production companies, and festivals working alongside the Canadian Live Music Association and other Canadian industries, businesses and non-profits that are advocating for emergency support funding and an economic recovery plan in the live music & touring sector.

We came together to address concerns that have arisen in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. The industry shut its doors in mid-March, and cannot re-open until large gatherings are once again possible. With little to no revenue coming in over a sustained period, many live music companies will not survive without sector-specific government relief. We are looking to change that.

Our goals:

• To create a groundswell of support for our sector. In the midst of a complete shutdown — i.e. zero revenue with no end in sight — we find ourselves in need of specific federal assistance. 
• To educate music fans in particular, the public at large, and ultimately, the federal government about the role that live music venues play in the wider economic and cultural life of our nation.
• As we continue to do our part to curb the spread of the virus, we hope to encourage the federal government to include specific relief and recovery support for the live music and touring sector.
• To be in a position to re-open when it is safe to do so!

Action Items:

• Share the website https://www.supportcanadianvenues.ca and social media (@CDNVenues)
• Support Canadian venues with the hashtags: #SupportCanadianVenues #SoutenezNosScenes
• Write your municipal, provincial, and territorial representatives and, most importantly, the federal government. Directory here - https://www.supportcanadianvenues.ca/directory-templates-1. There is a template, adapt it, or tell your own story. If possible, give them a call.
• Start a conversation…If we fail — and it is speculated that over 90% of the sector fears they will be forced to close permanently — there will be no venues for live music in this country. Encourage your community to advocate the federal government for emergency support funding and an economic recovery plan for Canada’s live music and touring sector.
• Join the community: Sign up with your email address to have your business listed, receive links, images for your social media, as well as news and updates.

Petition: Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage & Sports to increase & include businesses: https://www.change.org/p/pour-accro%C3%AEtre-et-inclure-les-entreprises-culturelles-ind%C3%A9pendantes-au-fonds-d-urgence-pour-la-culture-le-patrimoine-et-les-sports

Arts Response Tracking Survey (ARTS)

The Arts Response Tracking Survey (ARTS), a partnership between Business / Arts, the National Arts Centre (NAC) and Nanos Research, polled Canadians to gauge their attitudes on returning to both indoor and outdoor arts and culture events across Canada. It provides insights for organizations that will help inform re-opening and programming models.

A June 9 webinar discussed the results and the recording can be accessed here: https://businessandarts.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5eda661a9657c7c59b817abed&id=b0f859d1aa&e=88873d3ac0

With the report available here: https://businessandarts.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5eda661a9657c7c59b817abed&id=b8575bac94&e=88873d3ac0

New workshops and webinars are being added at www.saskmusic.org/workshops!

Featured Career Tracks Mentor: Elsa Gebremichael

Elsa Gebremichael has many years of experience in the Saskatchewan and Canadian music scene and continues to grow as a self-managed musician, songwriter, and performer. She’s currently developing and releasing music from her first solo project, WILD BLACK, but in her previous projects such as We Were Lovers, From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z, and The Radiation Flowers, Elsa has toured throughout Europe and North America, showcased at festivals such as SXSW, NXNE, HPX, CMJ, Sasktel Jazz Festival and BIME in Spain, and has opened for noteable acts such as Tegan and Sara, Metric, Janelle Monae, Mother Mother, New York Dolls and more. Elsa has secured music license syncs to TV, film and radio (the CBC Radio One Saskatoon Morning theme song is a WWL song!), was nominated for a WCMA for Pop Recording of the Year and performed at the first ever Afropunk Music Festival in NYC.

Elsa is an experienced grant-writer, and she has been been a jury member for SAB and FACTOR. She’s done everything from co-recording and co-mixing albums, to tour booking and publicity, poster and website design and social media management, co-directing and producing music videos and photo shoots. Fostering inclusiveness and increasing representation by supporting and collaborating with women, people of colour, queer, non-binary and trans folks in the Canadian music scene is super important to Elsa and she strives to make growth and change happen where this representation is lacking.

Elsa joins the Career Tracks program to provide consultation and assistance with questions concerning: grant writing, tour booking, producing, self management, poster and web design, and music videos!

Career Tracks offers confidential, one-on-one assistance to artists and music professionals. SaskMusic members can meet with our team to discuss career plans, marketing strategies, touring, songwriting and copyright, funding and grant applications, demo critiques/reviews, industry trends, or other relevant music topics.

To book a consult with Elsa or to read more about our mentors, click HERE