In a letter delivered earlier this week, the NAMM Executive Committee and Michael T. Strickland, CEO of Bandit Lites, expressed urgency for COVID-19 business relief for the challenges facing the live event industry. The letter, delivered to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, urged the inclusion of targeted relief for the industry as Congress considers additional coronavirus relief measures this month.
The letter underscores the financial impact facing live event venues and related professions that have been devastated in attempts to mitigate the spread of the virus. A study from PLSN magazine indicates that 77% of professionals in the space have lost 100 percent of their income; 96 percent of companies have cut their staff; and 97 percent of independent contractors (1099) have lost their jobs.
It also underscores the importance of events as a place to build community: “Events, both commercial and nonprofit, are central to our individual and collective identity. Live performance venues and the artists and workers in the industry are the lifeblood of the cultural and social identity of our neighborhoods.” Read the letter here.
NAMM encourages live event businesses and professionals to add their voice in support of relief by contacting their Senator no later than next week to urge the Senate to provide targeted COVID-19 business relief for live event businesses and individual professionals. A letter template and list of Representative contacts are available here.
Since March, NAMM has advocated for all facets of the industry for COVID-19 business relief and in conjunction with this, offered a series of webinars, tools and other resources to support COVID-19 recovery. View those resources here.
