LPA Announces Multi-Million Dollar Re-Start Plan

Live Performance Australia [LPA] has unveiled a $345 million plan to rebuild the country’s live performance industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The wide-reaching, two-year recovery plan includes investment in performing arts companies and productions to help them restart, extending some income support to businesses and individuals to keep jobs as well as incentives to encourage audiences to return to live events.

The LPA plan includes a $90 million Business Reactivation Fund which includes capital investments to restart and market productions and tours; support for service providers to the live performance industry (such as production and technical businesses, stage-hands, riggers, video, sound and lighting specialists); a Community Engagement Fund to support regional venues to get local communities engaged and to develop work; an Australian Music Recovery Fund; and funding to help the industry operate in a ‘COVID safe’ way.

“As we enter the 12^th week of shutdowns due to the public health response, it’s well and truly time for the Federal Government to get behind Australia’s arts and entertainment industry and deliver a comprehensive and properly funded plan so our world-class industry can get back to work,” said LPA Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson.

“We welcome the Morrison Government’s acknowledgement of the impact that COVID-19 has had on the arts and entertainment industry, but it’s now time for real action backed by substantial targeted investment,” Ms Richardson said.

“Unlike some other parts of the economy, a gradual re-opening process is not commercially viable for most of our industry. We can’t re-open venues that only have dozens in the audience. That’s why we will need a sustained and strategic investment by government to get our industry up and running again,” Ms Richardson said.

“Australians have always been great supporters of live performance and buy more tickets to live performance events than all of our major sporting codes combined. Our proposal for a ‘See it Live’ e-voucher program for households will help them get back to their favourite live performance event.

“It will take time for the live performance industry to rebuild, so we also need to continue to provide income support through programs such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker for industry workers who have been displaced by COVID-19,” Ms Richardson said.

‘’Our $4 billion dollar industry will be a major driver of economic activity, jobs and cultural tourism recovery. Our number one priority is getting our venues open and our people back to work. We look forward to working closely with governments at all levels to make this happen in the coming months. Getting our theatres open in spring is our first priority followed by our larger events such as concerts and music festivals. Our Kiwi cousins are back in theatres in the next two weeks with no physical distancing, so we believe our September timeframe is very achievable”, she said.

Read the full report and LPA Plan [Click Here]

Report Link: https://liveperformance.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Live-Performance-Industry-Rebuild-Recovery-Package-FINAL-2020.06.03.pdf