Harrogate Festivals speaks out on plight of arts industry worth billions

Last week saw Harrogate International Festivals join forces with colleagues and venues from across UK’s events sector last week calling on the Government to help save the nation’s live entertainment industry.

The arts charity, which was forced to cancel its summer season events due to coronavirus, lit its town centre headquarters bright red to support the We Make Events “Red Alert” campaign.

Spearheaded by the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA), Red Alert has been created to raise awareness of the impact of the lack of governmental support for the event industry in the public and the media.

The #WeMakeEvents “Red Alert” follows months of closure for venues and a lack of work and financial support for freelance workers.

Last weekend saw a change of heart by the Government when Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed that indoor performances with socially distanced audiences would, in fact be allowed again from August 15.

But fears for the financial well-being of the arts sector remain.

With most live events scheduled for 2020 already postponed until 2021, those working in the sector including artists, events teams, crew and technicians have been left with no work.

And whilst there have been no concerts, festivals, gigs or large-scale outdoor events since lockdown, many in the industry have been left with zero financial support during this crisis.

Harrogate International Festivals Chief Executive Sharon Canavar said: “The impact of COVID-19 has taken our industry to near breaking point, and to support this national campaign, we bathed our Cheltenham Parade base in bright red light - sending an urgent ‘red alert’ to the Government.

“Red is the universal symbol of danger and, as an industry, we are in danger of ceasing to exist!

“It’s an urgent SOS that without support, the arts will not survive.

“Because we use external venues and outdoor spaces to hold our festivals and events, and don’t own our own performance hall, we have been unable to access the large scale rescue funding made available via the Government’s arts rescue package.

“We are very proud to be a part of the events sector. It’s an industry that’s worth billions to the UK’s economy and one that employs in the region of one million people, all currently unable to work.

"The Government also needs to look at extending the furlough scheme for our sector because without support thousands of people will lose their jobs.”

Sharon added: “For 54 years, Harrogate International Festivals has been delivering an annual calendar of arts-based events, which has won world-wide acclaim.

“Over the years we have helped launch the careers of a host of writers and musicians, including Julian Lloyd-Webber, Lesley Garrett, Paloma Faith and Amy Winehouse.

“This year we didn’t want to let our supporters or sponsors down, and we ensured the show did go on, not in person, but online. And it proved a great success.

“However, without government support, organisations like ours could cease to exist.

Further information about #WeMakeEvents is available at https://www.plasa.org/we-make-events/

Further information about Harrogate International Festivals is available from its website, https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/

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