Cultural supports, guidelines and FAQs
MEBAS Phase II (Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme) – application portal will go live at 1pm on Monday 4th October
ESCSS Phase II (Events Sector Covid Support Scheme) - application portal will go live at 1pm on Thursday 7th October
CECGS (Commerical Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme) - application portal will go live at 1pm on Thursday 14th October
DEADLINE EWSS (Employment Wage Support Scheme)
Businesses who are in receipt of the EWSS (Employment Wage Support Scheme) Are now required to confirm their continued eligibility for the scheme by 30th July (This Friday) Businesses can log on to ROS, and on the “Employer Services” > “Additional Services” tab.
You will need to input trading data for 2019, and 2021 to date, as well as projections for the remainder of 2021.
Eligibility may be established via either Turn over figures OR Customer order size.
Turn over
Your 2021 turnover net of VAT must be no more than 70% of your 2019 Net turn over for each month of your claim.
(30%+ less turnover than 2019)
Customer Orders
Your average order value net of VAT in 2021 must be no more than 70% of your 2019 Net customer order value for each month of your claim.
(30%+ lower order value than 2019)
Revenue have published a video explaining how to use the system below
It is vital that all employers on the scheme confirm eligibility by the deadline in order to maintain their claim.
Minding Creative Minds
Do you work in the Irish creative sector? If you are finding these latest restrictions challenging, please ensure you mind your mental wellbeing ,and remember that you can access @ Minding Creative Minds support services FREE of charge👇🏽
http://mindingcreativeminds.ie
EPIC would also like to remind everyone in the live events industry that the next scheduled Minding creative minds zoom call is 19th April 7pm
The aim of our MCM Meet and Greet Session is for attendees to share our experiences, share advice with each other and have a conversation with our peers as we strive to get our sector back to full health. Some people may wish to tell their story, others may have questions, some may wish to attend as spectators just to find out a little more about what MCM do. Whatever works for you in attending, works for MCM
To register and find out more simply go to 👇
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwrc--rrz4tHt35uJatAwQ1YHcLgiSW7g_o
TU Dublin and UCD Courses
TU Dublin and UCD are offering further 'live-online' immersive short courses designed primarily for individuals and businesses that have been impacted by Covid-19 such as the tourism, hospitality, arts and entertainment sectors. Courses are funded by the Government of Ireland under the July 2020 Stimulus Provision.
Each course is designed to upskill participants with the knowledge, skills and tools that are in high demand to reignite their career and/or business.
Each course, worth 10 ECTS, is run as a collaboration between TU Dublin and UCD. The courses are:
Creativity and Innovation + Digital Entrepreneurship (19th-30th April 2021) ( deadline 14th April )
Design Thinking + Digital Marketing (10th-21st May 2021)
Applications are processed and places offered on a rolling basis until the courses are full.
(Free / 90% subsidised for eligible candidates*)
For further information and to apply for a place please search the links above or email innovation.academy@ucd.ie
or
HTSLEcommunications.city@TUDublin.ie
On Tuesday, 30 Mar 2021 EPIC were invited along with Give Us The Night and IMRO Ireland to present to Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.
On Tuesday, 30 Mar 2021 EPIC were invited along with Give Us The Night and IMRO Ireland to present to Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.
Liam FitzGerald & Kim O'Callaghan presented on behalf of EPIC;
"I am grateful for the opportunity to give evidence today regarding the plight of our industry. EPIC is a working group of independently elected representatives from the live production sector and is a foundation member of the wider industry grouping, the Event Industry Alliance. EPIC includes representatives from the Association of Irish Stage Technicians and the@Live Venue Collective. Hence, we speak here today for a very wide range of organisations, companies and individuals throughout all facets of the live event and entertainment industry.
As the pandemic enters its second year, venues, promoters and businesses have spent their cash reserves surviving 2020, topping up salaries and meeting fixed business costs such as rent, insurance, building maintenance, security and utilities, all against a backdrop of having little or no turnover to fund such expenditure. We have seen some successes from supports, such as the LPSS, and with the extension of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, and the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, helping to maintain as many of our workers as possible. However, there have also been large parts of our sector left behind, such as our supplier SMEs, of which only 4% are eligible to access the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS. We are at present engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and hope to swiftly bring forward supports for those who have been neglected so far.
In addition to the financial effects of the past year, it has been very challenging mentally for those working in the industry. The lack of clarity about the road out of this crisis is compounding those effects on the mental health and well-being of the workers in our industry. We are grateful for the support shown to Minding Creative Minds and hope it will be long-lived.
Looking forward, there are many hurdles still to navigate as we contemplate the reopening of live events over the coming months. One of the most important concepts for us to convey is the potential for lag in our industry reopening. Over the cycle of planning, marketing, selling tickets, rehearsing and building, the time from the proverbial gates opening for our industry to meaningful income for our workers and SMEs will be between six months and year. It is vital that the planning starts in earnest as soon as possible.
It is of the highest urgency and importance to swiftly form an expert working group, as put forward in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media task force recommendations, with key experienced stakeholders around the table, to develop the criteria, mechanisms, supports and timeframe in parallel with Government policy and the roll-out of the vaccination programme. Advancing a sector-specific, strategic roadmap, developed in partnership with the various Departments, the HSE and relevant authorities to ensure the safe reopening and operation of venues and events, will enable us to put thousands of people back to work across all levels of the sector, but we need to start the months of planning now.
We know that no one has a crystal ball and that no one can tell us right now the exact date we will be reopening again. However, we need a series of mile markers from health experts showing us, for example, that when X% of adults are vaccinated, we can do such a scale of an event, and when Y% are vaccinated, the events can advance up to another level.
To be clear, we are not looking, and never will try, to open when it is not safe to do so. Our industry's fundamental core value is taking care of our audiences and staff. Every decision we make every day when we are planning and executing an event is about safety, welfare and enjoyment of our attendees. We are looking to open when it is safe to do so but we need mile markers to allow us to build towards this so that the lag between it being possible to open and being actually able to open is as short as possible.
We are an integral part of the cultural fabric of society. The live entertainment industry is an ecosystem and all of its aspects are needed for it to survive: the talent of the artists, the venue for the promoter, and the contractors and crew to pull it all together. For every €1 spent on a ticket in Ireland, €6 is spent as a result in the wider hospitality and tourism sector. It is vital to the economy. Live events were responsible for €3.2 million bed nights in one year recently. Without the assurance of sufficient supports until the sector fully recovers, and with the delay in activating the expert working group, some of Ireland's most iconic and live entertainment venues and promoters will be forced to implement plans to shut down entirely or for the foreseeable, long-term future, and to implement extensive lay-offs.
This is an industry of entrepreneurs and businesses who have forged their own path. They are highly skilled and dedicated people who have invested their own time and money to create events and experiences to allow others to make memories that will last a lifetime. This was a thriving industry prior to Covid and it will be again.
We need a hand up now, not a handout, until it is safe for the industry to open at full capacity. We need some help now so that, in turn, we can drive the rebirth of our economy by recovering the spirit and optimism of the nation. I thank the members for their attention."
You can read the entire discussion here ;
https://www.oireachtas.ie/.../joint.../2021-03-30/3/
365 days of darkness
The events sector has been closed for 365 days.
Will you email your TDs now to ask them raise the urgent need for key financial supports for Events Sector SMEs? Click below
WHATS NEXT SURVEY
Words from our chair,
As mentioned recently we need to find out your views on EPIC's future. A great deal of work has been done and continues to be done both obviously and behind the scenes by the committee. Initially we thought it would be for a few months, now a year later we are still struggling with Covid and our industry will continue to do so for at least a few more months. So we need to know what you would like EPIC to be, if indeed you want it to carry on after this immediate Covid crisis is over. If you do then we need to know what you want it to be, who you want it to be composed of and who you want it to represent.
In order to hold elections for the committee we need to formulate ourselves properly with defined members who can stand for election, who can vote in that election and decide the future of EPIC going forward
For EPIC to continue it needs to have some funding: to pay for a website, Mail chimp, some admin and some PR & marketing. All these have been provided by individuals upto now. PR and marketing particularly has been provided in abundance and free of charge by Aileen Galvin, Steph Edwards, Kathryn Mason, Sabrina Sheehan and Justin Green over the last year. We thank them for their tremendous input and support but we cannot go on relying on good will; this needs to be put on a professional basis.
So there will have to be a membership fee. We will keep this as low as possible particularly in this first year when everyone is still out of work, but we do need to have some form of fee.
If we are receiving monies we need proper governance and accountability. If we are holding elections we need to have a way of defining who can stand for election and who can vote
Being on the committee is extremely hard work and requires time and energy. We would like to give you all your say in who should be on that committee and give you a chance to stand for election, if you would like to.
So please fill in the survey - lets us know your views and where you want EPIC to go. Its very important that we receive as many answers from as many people as possible in order for EPIC to be representative of those who want to be its members and the survey will form the primary contact list for membership.
Thanks very much. Hoping we will all meet again in a muddy field or a hot sweaty venue sometime in the not too distant future.
Hello, World!
EPIC Statement of 2021 Objectives
2020 saw incredible efforts from many groups within the Commercial Events Sector, working tirelessly to secure funding and support for our people, and our businesses while we wait patiently for the industry to reopen.
This was, as they say, a year like no other.
Naturally this has led to a variety of focusses, and EPIC would like to make clear its objectives as we set sail into another year of the unknown.
We exclusively support, and are pursuing the following goals:
Continuation of the PUP and EWSS schemes for the duration of the pandemic, and until our work can resume as normal.
Rent and Mortgage supports for workers whose jobs have been suspended by the pandemic.
Creation of a scheme similar to, or adaption of the CRSS, to enable our businesses to avail of
much needed financial support to stay closed.
Expansion of the LPSS, the pilot of which was very successful, to accommodate the wide variety
of events, entertainers, venues and crews, who similarly to the pilot, will be able to take on paid
work, leading to both financial security and mental wellbeing.
Implementation of recommendations made by the Arts and Culture Recovery Task Force.
https://www.gov.ie/en/news/e7f78‐latest‐updates‐from‐the‐arts‐and‐culture‐recovery‐
Swift movement on Recommendation 1 – establishing the pilot of a Universal Basic Income and expansion of the scheme for Professional Artists on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) to encompass technical workers as well as artists, this will safe guard our people’s financial security in the event of a prolonged return to work for the industry.
Continued support for Minding Creative Minds, whose essential services have been used by many of our members. http://mindingcreativeminds.ie/
Fundraising and support for the AIST hardship fund which has supported some 313 individuals, and has distributed some €156,500 to date. https://www.aist.ie/hardshipfund/
Throughout 2021 our focus will be on achieving these goals, and helping our people, and our businesses to survive the storm.
LIVE PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SCHEME recipients report
This data will be used to demonstrate the success of the Pilot LPSS,With a view to ensuring that the strong points are upheld, and any Lessons learned are addressed. The information you provide will be shared with the Irish Government, and EPIC’s members, with strict anonymity. We will store your information securely and inline with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) 2016/679.
Positive meeting with Minister Catherine Martin
Today the EPIC WG had a productive and positive meeting with Minister Catherine Martin and members of the The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Topics that were discussed included ;
LPSS
The LPSS was discussed at length, with EPIC outlining the positive feedback from participants and also lessons learnt from the pilot scheme. Minister Martin outlined that the most important priority of the department at present, is the full distribution of the allocated 50m fund from the October Budget 2021 to the live events sector.
Minister Martin accepted there were certain sectors within the industry who didn’t qualify previously and efforts will be made to include them in the future.
The Minister understood how urgent this is that the LPSS is implemented as soon as possible and confirmed that a senior civil servant has been appointed to oversee and implement this.
CRSS :
The minister has met with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and is aware that they are actively looking at a business support scheme to help those who did not qualify for the CRSS. The minister understands EPIC concerns on this and will be lending her support to the urgent implementation of such a scheme.
The minister noted that the recovery taskforce had recommended this and EPIC looks forward to an announcement.
PUP:
EPIC emphasised the necessity for the PUP and rent supplements to continue until the events sector is fully back at work. The minister will raise this matter with the Dept. of Social Protection.
The minister is also pursuing the UBI, and for technicians to be added to the “Scheme for Professional Artist on Job Seekers Allowance”
Arts & Recovery Task Force:
Epic thanked the Minister for acting so quickly on the recommendation in the Arts & Culture Task Force report, for a programme that provides wellbeing support for the creative sector. The financial support given to Minding Creative Minds is a welcome investment into this essential service and look forward to this being sustained into future years.
Epic did raise concerns that at the oversight committee had not yet been appointed for the task force. Minister Martin expects this committee to be appointed in the next few weeks.
EPIC raised concerns re insurance for both promoters and SMEs to enable them to begin planning for events and the possibility of a fund similar to insurance funds announced across EU nations and being considered in other countries. The Minister assured us she would consider these concerns.
EPIC are in discussion
EPIC are in discussion with the Irish Government with an aim to securing adequate support for Events Industry supply chain businesses affected by the pandemic.
In order to strengthen our position, we are reaching out to businesses in the Events Industry to sign up via the simple form below. We will share the complete list of businesses that have signed up with the Government, to demonstrate the scale of the economic impact the pandemic continues to have on our Industry, and the urgent need to support these businesses, that have not been able to avail of support via the CRSS.
‘Life Worth Living’,
‘Life Worth Living’,
The Report of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce
NOVEMBER 20th 2020
EPIC welcomes the positive recommendations contained in recently published report from The Arts & Culture Recovery Task Force, and would like to thank the Minister, Catherine Martin, and the Chair of the Taskforce, Clare Duignan for the inclusion of the Live Events Industry in this group. The report includes recommendations on policy and planning, income, taxation and financial provision, education and training, technology supports; mental health, social protection, community development, social inclusion as well as around copyright. EPIC are hopeful for the fast implementation of the report and will be active in pressing for a speedy delivery as this needs to be acted upon immediately by government to help build on the welcome supports introduced in the budget in October. There are 3 recommenations that particularly affect us - the Universal Basic income pilot scheme, the CRSS alternative for our SMEs and the establishment of a stakeholder representative group to address how we can get make to work as speedily but as safely as possible. It is going to be very important, and we should not underestimate the necessity to keep up the pressure, for these to be implemented ASAP
‘Life Worth Living’ - Click Here .. https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/97434/162e9253-ca14-4395-a1e8-221d51ff401f.pdf#page=null
Commenting on the report, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, T.D., stated:
"I very much welcome the report “LIFE WORTH LIVING” submitted by the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce and thank each and every member of the Taskforce for their time, expertise and commitment in this hugely difficult time. I met with the Taskforce at the start of its work and was struck both by the members’ dedication and also the seriousness of the situation facing the Arts and Culture sector.”
"The Taskforce has produced a set of recommendations on how best the arts and culture sector can adapt and recover from the unprecedented damage arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector includes the arts, culture, the audio visual industry, live entertainment and the events industry.”
“As I have stressed on numerous occasions, the Arts and Culture sector was the first to shut and will in many cases be the last to re-open. This report will be hugely beneficial to me and to my colleagues in Government as we examine ways to help the Arts and Culture sector emerge from the very difficult position in which it finds itself. I note in particular the Taskforce’s assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both existing livelihoods within the sector but also people’s future prospects, not just financially but in areas such as wellbeing and maintaining existing skill sets. I am under no illusions about the scale of the challenge and the many competing priorities facing Government. Nonetheless, I am delighted that as a Government we have been able so far to respond to date on many of the issues highlighted within this report. We can always strive to do better and that is what I aim to do.”
Clare Duignan, Chairperson of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce, added:
"I am delighted that the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce has completed our work and submitted the report “LIFE WORTH LIVING” to the Minister. I must give a huge thanks and praise to my colleagues on the Taskforce. They have committed so much time and energy in helping to craft and shape the report that is now available for all to read. I would also like to thank all those who made submissions during the consultation stage ensuring that this report is a fact driven, balanced document.
“As I say in the report; almost all activity has stopped in the Arts and Culture sector. The survival, recovery and sustainability of this sector is dependent on economic policy and decision-making in the short and long-term. I strongly believe that this report gives the Government the information required to help the sector by ensuring its recovery, building on its resilience and strengthening it for the future.”
EPIC looks forward to working alongside our colleagues from the Event Industry Alliance, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Minister Martin in ensuring that live events, and the workforce that supports the sector, continue to be included in government supports moving forward.
A summary of each recommendation is provided below:
Ensuring Recovery
1.Protecting Livelihoods and Careers;
Pilot a Universal Basic Income Scheme for a three-year period in the Arts, Culture, Audio Visual and Live Performance and Events Sector.
The Taskforce also recommends an extension of the Professional Artists on Jobseekers Allowance Scheme to other art forms as recommended in the 2019 review.
2. Mitigating Income Loss
Establish a new VAT compensation scheme for Artists and for freelance Arts, live Entertainment and Events Workers and Companies.
3. Ensuring Fair Pay for the Makers of Creative Content
Transpose the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market into Irish Law without adjustment or dilution of the directive as it relates to rights holders.
The Taskforce submits strongly that the Audio Visual Media Service Directive (AVMSD) should be transposed into Irish Law immediately, because of its importance to the Audio-Visual and Creative Screen Sectors.
4. Securing the Viability of the Live Events Industry
Introduce a business supports grant scheme for SME’s in the Events Industry that are excluded from the COVID-19 restrictions support scheme (CRSS)
5. Sustaining Local Authority Capacity to Support Arts, Culture, Live Entertainment and Events
Government should commit to continue its provision of financial support to Local Authorities to offset any loss of income they experience in 2021 so as to enable them to maintain their investment in Arts, Culture and Events at 2020 levels.
Building Resilience
6. Ensuring the Wellbeing of Ireland’s Creative and Cultural Community
Establish a programme that provides wellbeing supports to the creative sector.
7. Building Sectoral Capacity through Upskilling and Professional Development
Establish a capacity building and up-skilling scheme for Artists and Creative Workers aimed at recovery and renewal through Professional Development
Facing Forward
8. Making Space for Arts & Live Entertainment to Contribute to National Recovery
The Treatment of Cultural Activities and Venues under the various levels of the resilience and recovery 2020-2021 plan for living with COVID-19 requires urgent review to better reflect actual circumstances and the particular behaviours of Artists, Audiences and Venue staffs in this area of Irish Life.
A representative stakeholders group should be established so that cultural providers can engage with public health experts and other stakeholders to design guidance and support mechanisms, for the re-introduction of safe public engagement in Cultural Activity.
9. Providing more Outdoor Public Spaces for Cultural Events
Establish ‘Re-imaging our public spaces’: A capital improvement programme, including targeted resources for local authorities to adapt, equip or improve public spaces for cultural and events activities as well as an activation fund for the private sector to utilise their space
10. Addressing the Environmental Impact of Arts, Cultural and Event Activities
Establish and fund a Creative Green Programme. This could promote sustainable practices in the sectors, informed by research and actions already undertaken nationally and internationally.
BUDGET 2021
The Good, the Bad and the still to fight for.
The Good
Non-Funded commercial events & entertainment sector recognised as separate sector to funded arts industry for the first time .
Who would ever have thought that we would have been the first sector mentioned in a budget speech? And that entertainment would have been mentioned separately from the arts. This is a huge leap forward – the recognition of the non-funded, commercial sector as a sector in its own right. We had already been granted, another one of our pre submission asks - two places on the Arts & Culture Recovery Taskforce alongside the funded arts – one of which is Pearse Doherty from EPIC and the Event Industry Alliance
We now have a place at the table going forward, we have the engagement and support from the politicians and governmental departments to carry on campaigning and making ourselves heard, ensuring that our particular needs and concerns are considered separately from those of the Arts sector.
€50m addition to the Live performance Support Scheme
Reduction of VAT for the tourism & hospitality sector from 13.5% to 9%
Both of these will assist venues and promoters to put on shows and events with reduced capacities and help bolster the risk of such production being closed or postponed because C19 levels have been raised. Promoters and venues putting on shows means crew and contractors getting work and so helps all of us. This will be in a small way to start with as our audience numbers are so restricted at the moment but it does pave the way for events to come back in a small but meaningful way before we are allowed to sell at full capacity
Clarification that PUP claimants can work occasional days without losing their PUP benefit.
Allowing the balance of 2019 and 2020 preliminary tax to be deferred for a year without attracting interest or penalties
Earned Income PAYE credit raised by €150
Permitting PUP claimants to join the Part Time Job Incentive Scheme
Extension of the EWSS till the end of 2021
Support for grass root areas such as musical societies, drama societies, stage schools and dance schools.
All of these will help different groups of our industry at different levels and times. Some of them did not go far enough and we will continue to fight for increased supports for those on the PUP.
The Bad and the Still to Fight For
However whilst It is very clear that the Government has listened and engaged with us and while we welcome the package announced there were serious gaps in the support.
CRSS Scheme
The much touted CRSS scheme does not cater for the majority of our suppliers and contractors as they do not either have ‘premises’ or they are not public facing in the sense of having the pubic as customers.
EPIC has always stated the importance of specialist SME businesses.
There is nothing in this budget for these key cornerstones of the live industry, some are close to collapse now and we need to keep fighting for immediate funds to save them.All our SMEs have had little or no work since MarchWithout our SMEs the €50m will go unused if there are no suppliers and contractors to service these eventsThe CRSS only applies to Level 3 and above and we are prevented from working in any real sense at all the levels
PUP & EWSS
We need to continue to fight for these to be restored to their original levels and for the PUP to be extended until we are back to work in the fullest sense. It would also benefit us far more if we could take more than €480 worth of a work a month and declare it at the end of the year in our tax returns.
The Way forward
We will continue to fight for the above, to represent us at the Taskforce, to push for a Roadmap back to work and guidelines to open safely.
It has been 215 days since employers, workers and freelancers from viable operations in the Live Entertainment and Events Industry were mandated to close. The Non-Funded Event industry supports over 35,000 jobs, contributes over €3.5 billion Euro to the economy and in excess of 3 million annual bed nights to the wider tourism sector.
EPIC REACT TO BUDGET 2021
Non-Funded Commercial Events & Entertainment Sector Recognised As Separate Sector to Funded Arts Industry For The First Time Opportunity Missed to Support Specialist Suppliers in CRSS Scheme
EPIC broadly welcomes that the non-funded commercial events and entertainment sector has been recognised as separate to the funded Arts Industry for the first time - a €50 Million funding allocation, given the right circumstances, will have a very positive impact on the return of safe live events in 2021.
EPIC asked the Government for immediate and concrete support to scaffold this viable industry until it is able to safely return to capacity in all its glory. EPIC sees measures such as decreases in the VAT rate, clarification that PUP recipients can work occasional days without losing their payment, support for grass root areas such as musical societies, drama societies, stage schools and dance schools as big steps in the right direction for reopening.
It is very clear that the Government has listened and engaged with us and while we welcome the package announced EPIC do have concerns.
Questions arise as to why the CRSS scheme excludes many of EPICs members:
● EPIC has always stated the importance of specialist SME businesses. There is nothing in this budget for these key cornerstones of the live industry, some are now just days away from collapse and immediate funds are needed to save them.
● These businesses have had little or no income since March and it will be well into 2021 before they start to trade again. These special SME’s include: ○ Audio and lighting suppliers, staging, specialist health & safety consultants, specialist security, providers of fencing, sanitation, site services, power, specialist public relations and marketing companies plus a myriad of other critical suppliers to this diverse industry.
● Without these suppliers, there are no concerts, no festivals, no events, no outdoor shows. The very welcome €50M to the department of Culture will go unused if there is no SMEs to work at these shows.
● The CRSS is not open to them as they do not have public-facing businesses.
● Restricting applications to Level 3 and above prohibit many of them who cannot operate regardless of the level. It has been 215 days since employers, workers and freelancers from viable operations in the Live Entertainment and Events Industry were mandated to close. The Non-Funded Event industry supports over 35,000 jobs, contributes over €3.5 billion Euro to the economy and in excess of 3 million annual bed nights to the wider tourism sector.
Hardship Fund
AIST Hardship fund – Round 1
The AIST invites applications for the Hardship Fund, from midday on the 25th of September 2020.
The first round will disburse €100,000 at up to a maximum of €500 per applicant.
Applications received before midday on the 25th of September 2020 will not be valid and will not be retained.
The AIST Hardship Fund is open to all crew and production staff in the live event, arts, and entertainment industry in the Republic of Ireland. It is not restricted to members of the AIST. The fund is not open to students.
Applications are strictly confidential and will be processed by a small panel, who, themselves, are not eligible to apply to the fund for assistance. At least one of the panel will be a current member of the board of the AIST, other panellists may be from other facets of the industry.
Applicants who meet the criteria will be awarded a sum up to a maximum of €500. Awards will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; there will be no assessment of need, beyond the requirement to meet the minimum criteria. Awards will be distributed until the allocation of funds are depleted for that round. Applications will not be held over from one round to another. Successful applicants will not be considered again for 12 months.
Applications must be sent via email only to aistfund@gmail.com. An automatic reply will be sent to acknowledge receipt. The time and date of the applicant’s email, will dictate order of processing. The time and date of the email, must be within the advertised window for applications, to be considered. To protect the confidentiality of the process, no other forms of communication will be entertained. An automatic email reply will be sent, if an application is submitted outside of an advertised window, stating that the application is not eligible and won’t be retained.
To comply with governance, transparency and C.J.A. money laundering rules, all funds will be distributed by electronic bank transfer, and only to bank accounts held within the Republic of Ireland. It should be noted, that awards may be subject to income tax, depending on the individual’s tax credits, and should be declared by the applicant.
Applicants will be required to meet the following minimum criteria:
Applicant must be resident in the ROI and have a ROI bank account.
Applicant must work primarily in a production or crew position in the live event, arts or entertainment industry.
Applicant must have lost work, and provide evidence of such.
Information requested for processing, should be included in the email application: (All information submitted is strictly confidential)
Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Address (Proof of address may be requested during processing)
Profession* (Some evidence of work history may be required during processing)
Award amount requested (up to a maximum of €500)
Details of Lost Work*
Evidence of Lost Work (copies and screen grabs of text or social media messages, emails or letters are acceptable)
Total loss of earnings*
IBAN
* Information collected for reporting purposes, any reporting will be anonymised.
#ThisIsWhoWeAre
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT & EVENT INDUSTRY
NATIONAL AWARENESS WEEK
14th - 20th, September, 2020
This week, the EPIC Working Group will launch a Pre Budget Submission requesting supports for the Live Entertainment Industry in the upcoming budget and National Recovery Plan. These supports are critical at this point to prevent the decimation of our industry.
In conjunction with the Pre Budget Submission, September 14th - 20th is Live Entertainment & Events Industry National Awareness Week. You will already have seen full page ads in many publications over the past weekend supporting #ThisIsWhoWeAre as the Commercial Entertainment & Events Industry pushes for the recognition it deserves. In addition to the print ads, the graphic can be seen nationwide on in excess of 200 digital screens and the campaign is being promoted on regional and national radio this week supported by over 400 adverts.
We have been working hard behind the scenes, multiple meetings with the relevant government departments focussing on the issues that our sector now faces and we feel that we are moving in the right direction so it is extremely important that this week as we launch the Pre Budget Submission that we let everyone know #ThisIsWhoWeAre.
The timeline for this week is;
Tuesday 15th September
Light It Red
Multiple music venues and theatres all over the country will be lighting up red to show their solidarity with #ThisIsWhoWeAre and show government that as an industry we exist in all counties, all towns and villages across the country. If you want to get involved or just want to submit photos from your venue in red, just mail 1609event@gmail.com
Wednesday 16th September
Launch of the EPIC Pre Budget Submission
We will launch the Pre Budget Submission at a media event in Linear Park adjacent to the Convention Centre Dublin where the Dáil will sit on Wednesday. This installation will be in line with current public health guidance and is therefore not a public event. It will attended by working personnel only. But if you want to help on Wednesday, there’s lots you can do!
Mail Your TD
We have designed a simple mail your TD campaign with Uplift. All you need to do is click on the link once it goes live from Tuesday 15th and select your constituency, fill in your name and e-mail and hit send. This is the most effective way of targeting the message to government. This is the most important thing you can do to help.
Post on Socials
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Use #ThisIsWhoWeAre
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Friday 18th September
Publication of the Open Letter. More details to follow soon on this one!
Media Release 20.08
EPIC (EVENT PRODUCTION INDUSTRY COVID-19) CALL FOR FURTHER GOVERNMENT CLARITY ON FARCICAL GUIDELINES FOR LIVE ENTERTAINMENT VENUES
Events industry still in confusion following Governments conflicting messages regarding professionally organised indoor and outdoor events.
The events industry calls on Government for definitive guidance for the sector and an end to miscommunication.
EPIC calls on Government to urgently assemble a taskforce that includes event industry experts, to protect a €1.7bn* industry from total decimation.
Thursday 20 th August 2020 – For Immediate Release
Following the confused messaging from the Government last night and today (Wednesday 19 th and Thursday 20 th August 2020), regarding the numbers allowed to attend indoor and outdoor organised live events, the board of EPIC today called for definite clarity on what exactly is allowed. This morning’s announcement still gives no clarity on live spaces such as music venues or outdoor professionally organised events. Many professional event organisers are still unsure if they can run small shows in August and early September as planned. The industry has been in limbo over the last number of weeks and the Governments lack of consistency in guidance is having untold negative impact on both the sector and the public.
Tuesday August 18 th 5.30pm– Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces no more than 6 people indoors allowed and 15 people outdoors.
Wednesday August 19 th 8am – Senator Malcolm Byrne says live events are exempt and can have 50 people indoors and 200 outdoors. o
Wednesday August 19 th 6pm – Minister Stephen Donnelly says no live events are allowed and only 6 people allowed indoors and 15 people outdoors.
Thursday August 20 th 11am – Government announcement that live events can run in theatres for 50 people but still no clarity on live entertainment venues.
This sector is being prevented from earning a living, it is at zero income and is already on the verge of collapse. The industry is already on its knees, and in severe peril, and these repeated miscommunications have caused enormous distress and worry for thousands of events and arts professionals who are trying to get back to work by planning safe, controlled events, strictly in line with government guidance. The events sector has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic: it was the first industry to shut down in March and will be the last industry to return. It is estimated that in 2020 there will be a 90% + drop in revenue within the live events industry, with 92% of the 25,000+ Event and Arts workers incomes impacted the Events and Arts industry is worth 1.7 Billion Euro* to Ireland each year.
EPIC calls for three key Government support:
Establish a cross departmental task force on the live events sector; it is now imperative that the government bring this to fruition so that the voices of the commercial live events sector can be heard if there is to be any chance of saving this sector.
Extension of the full PUP for the live event sector until the mass gathering ban and social distancing restrictions are lifted and the industry can get back to work.
A multiple of the grant funding given to the Arts Council to support artists, arts workers and arts organisations must now be invested in the commercial live events sector which accounts for 90% of all ticket sales in Ireland and has never before received any grant funding from government, it is imperative that this happens immediately to save the Businesses, Venues, Festivals, Events, Artists and Skilled Crew that earn their living from the sector supporting over 25,000 jobs
On September 16th, EPIC calls the commercial live events sector to action, with a meeting of the sector to highlight the industry challenges and needs. Based on the current government public health advice the numbers in attendance will be extremely limited and only key personnel will be in attendance. There will also be a number of regional events, which will strictly adhere to all health and safety guidelines. These events will be produced in accordance with how EPIC members always work, high quality, high levels of production and with the safety of both public and crew as the first priority. Full details will be issued early next week.
#1609 #AllInThisTogether
Facebook: www.facebook.com/eventproductionindustrycovid19/
Twitter: @EPIC2020_Group Insta: @epic_workinggroup
*Source Let’s Celebrate 2017 Report – please click here for full report www.letscelebrate.ie/
CALL TO ACTION
The commercial live events sector has received minimal support to date from government and faces decimation if supports are not substantial and meaningful in the October recovery plan. On September 16th, when the Dáil has returned, we will do what we do best, we’ll put on a show and we will be heard. It is imperative that this is done like we always do it, professionally, safely and well organised. Details will follow in the coming weeks but please put the date in your diary. The commercial live events sector is on its knees, September 16th will be a day for those who earn their living from this sector to have their voices heard.
