UK Charity Help Musicians has revealed that a new £2.5m hardship scheme launched on 5 June is already close to running out, having received around 3,500 applications over the weekend.
The impact of Coronavirus and lockdowns has been dire for many working musicians, most of whom have seen their livelihoods disappear virtually overnight. Now, Help Musicians has revealed that 99% of musicians surveyed say they are worried about their financical situation, while 98% say it;s impacting their wellbeing. 46% of musicians describe this impact as 'severe'
Today, Help Musicians is asking for donations to top up its rapidly depleting fund.
James Ainscough, its Chief Executive said, “Whilst lockdown restrictions are slowly starting to lift, musicians will continue to be among some of the hardest hit by Covid-19 in the months to come.
"Live music will surely be one of the last sectors to start operating as normal and so many musicians just don’t know how they will survive. And as the country sees more and more redundancies, there are fewer opportunities for musicians to take temporary jobs to make ends meet. We therefore decided that urgent action was needed to offer extra financial help - too many musicians are simply falling through the gaps of the support available.
“We’re pleased to have been able to support 16,700 people already in the first round of funding, and offering much needed help to many more during this second phase. This is why continued support is more vital than ever.
"As such, we asking individuals, corporate organisations and other bodies to donate, no matter how large or small, so that we can continue to help as many musicians as possible and ease the pressure until they can get back to work.”
• To learn more and donate if you're able, head to the Help Musicians website now.
• To find advice and apply for help, also go to helpmusicians.org.uk
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