Australia’s music licensing organisation and royalties distributor APRA AMCOS has announced that it will pay $1.5 million in live performance royalties to its members for their gigs, concerts and festival appearances cancelled as a result of the Omicron COVID-19 wave and subsequent restrictions.
APRA AMCOS members who lost royalties after events they were scheduled to perform at in Australia and New Zealand between Friday, 1st October 2021 to Monday, 28th February 2022 were cancelled will be eligible. Members can submit claims for cancelled performances here.
“Just as it felt like things were starting to open up and live music was ready to kick off a successful summer season, the latest COVID-19 wave once again cancelled live events causing substantial financial loss and emotional strain to our members and the broader industry,” APRA Chair Jenny Morris commented in a statement today.
“The APRA Board has approved this initiative so that swift action can be taken to support our members and pay them for the royalties they would have made from the live performances of their songs,” she added. “When a gig is cancelled, many are affected financially, professionally and personally. But there is an intangible cost as well when our artists are unable to bring communities together, connect with their fans and when they miss out on the career development that literally can only happen on stage.”
In their statement, APRA AMCOS called for greater federal, state and territory support for a range of music businesses, pointing out that public health orders resulting in cancellations and venue closures are rarely created in consultation with the industry.
“We urgently call on government leaders to provide direct support to the artists, sole traders and small to medium businesses through a wage subsidy program, ongoing crisis support through Support Act, micro-business grants and a national insurance scheme,” said APRA AMCOS Chief Executive Dean Ormston.
The post ARPA AMCOS Announces It Will Pay Artists Performance Royalties For Gigs Cancelled Due To COVID appeared first on Music Feeds.
