The MU commissioned a poll following lockdown in mid-March of its members, with the aim of quantifying the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the industry in the UK. This returned that musicians have lost an estimated £13.9 million in earnings in the first few days due to cancellations. The results also suggest that nine in 10 of those working in the UK music industry have been affected, with job opportunities down by 69% on this time last year. The research indicates that musicians working in live performance report the highest amount of lost earnings, with teaching and orchestral work also affected due to social distancing and school closures.
The results, consisting of the feedback of 4,100 of the Union’s members between March 18 and 20, have justified the Union to launch a coronavirus hardship fund, which will offer grants to those facing financial difficulty due to the outbreak. In my role as MU PR & Marketing Official I arranged for our PR agency, Kindred, to issue a media release, which generated 65 items of coverage over the subsequent 24 hour period. Examples include:
22-Mar Mail Online
23-Mar The Guardian
23-Mar Evening Express
23-Mar The Argus
23-Mar Barry & District News
23-Mar St Helens Star
23-Mar Irvine Times
23-Mar This is Wiltshire
23-Mar Bury Times
23-Mar Basildon, Canvey, Southend Echo
23-Mar Local Berkshire
23-Mar Yahoo News
23-Mar Belfast Telegraph
23-Mar York Press
23-Mar Farm Week
23-Mar Shropshire Star
23-Mar Southern Daily Echo
23-Mar North Wales Chronicle
23-Mar Central Fife Times & Advertiser
23-Mar Ilkey Gazette
23-Mar Rhyl Journal
23-Mar Wandsworth Times
23-Mar Jazz FM
23-Mar Classic FM
23-Mar This is the West Country
23-Mar Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard
23-Mar North Wales Pioneer
23-Mar NME
23-Mar Music Week
23-Mar This is Lancashire
23-Mar The Stage
23-Mar Billboard
23-Mar Music Ally
23-Mar The Strad
23-Mar Daily Telegraph
23-Mar East London & West Sussex Guardian
24-Mar DJ Mag UK
24-Mar Brixton Blog
24-Mar Forbes
24-Mar The Guardian
24-Mar Music Week
24-Mar The Ticketing Business
