A survey of musicians by UK booking agent Encore has found 64% of them are considering quitting the profession due to the negative financial effect of coronavirus.
Encore surveyed 560 working musicians to find out how the ongoing pandemic had effected them on a financial level.
It found that musicians had lost an average of £11,300 as a result of cancellations since lockdown was implemented in March 2020.
In addition, 87% have seen a reduction in gigs booked for the period between August and December compared to that same timeframe in 2019.
The survey also found that the young female musicians from its sample have 34% fewer gigs booked for 2020 than men.
"I was shocked to see just how few bookings most musicians have left in the diary for 2020"
James McAulay,Encore CEO and Co-founder
If this is representative of a big picture, it could be potentially disastrous for the £5.2 billion the music industry contributes to the UK economy, employing nearly 200,000 people.
“We’re acutely aware of the damage the pandemic has done to our musicians’ livelihoods," says Encore CEO and Co-founder James McAulay, "but I was still shocked to see just how few bookings most musicians have left in the diary for 2020.
"This problem is being felt across the industry – from signed veterans to young musicians at the beginning of their careers. The government must act now to make sure our musicians aren’t left behind.”
For more information about Encore's services, visit encoremusicians.com
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