MusicHelpsLive launches today to support New Zealand’s live music industry which has been left devastated by COVID-19.
In the past month we’ve seen live music cancelled en masse throughout the country. New Zealand musicians and those who work behind the scenes are facing an uncertain future.
For eight years MusicHelps has been the music industry’s charity and among its core activities has been providing emergency financial support and professional counselling to kiwi music people when crisis strikes. It has now started MusicHelpsLive to specifically support people and organisations facing hardship due to COVID-19.
MusicHelpsLive aims to raise $2 million dollars to see kiwi music people through the coming winter. All funds raised will be distributed to those music workers whose livelihoods have been shattered as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
MusicHelps board chair and MusicHelpsLive spokesperson Campbell Smith says: “New Zealand’s musicians and the teams behind them are always there for us in times of trouble and tragedy, like the Band Together concert after the Christchurch earthquakes and You Are Us/Aroha Nui concerts following the Christchurch terror attacks. Now they are the ones that need our help.
“COVID-19 is having a devastating effect on the live music industry and the livelihoods of thousands of kiwi music people and businesses. Shows are cancelled, venues are threatened; production suppliers, roadies and crew are without work. With almost no notice, these hard-working, ordinary New Zealanders and their dependents are facing levels of distress and hardship never seen before.”
MusicHelpsLive is calling on New Zealanders to visit www.musichelpslive.co.nz to make a donation or find other ways to support the live music industry.
The following organisations have already pledged to support MusicHelpsLive:
Aston Road, Australasian Performing Right Association, Auckland Live, Auckland Stadiums, Audio Foundation, Bay Dreams Festival, Big Pop Studios, College Hill, Commotion, CRS Management/CRS Presents, Delete Management, Dominion Law, DRM, Dryden Street, Eccles Entertainment, Entertainment Accounting Services. Flying Nun Foundation, Frontier Touring NZ
Independent Music New Zealand, Kiwi Krew, Kobalt Music Publishing, The Label, Laneway Festival, Loop, Lorraine Barry Management, Love Police, Live Nation, Mediaworks, Mushroom Music, MusicHelps, Native Tongue, NZ Music Managers Forum, Neptune Ent, NZ Musician, NZ Promoters Association, New Zealand Music Awards, New Zealand Music Commission, NZME, NZ on Air, Nik Nak Media, Oceania, OneMusic, Page 1 Management, Pead PR, Plus1, The Production Company, Radio New Zealand, Red Bull, Recorded Music New Zealand, Rhythm and Alps Festival, Rhythm and Vines Festival, Richmond Music, Rockshop NZ, Sony Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Soundsplash Festival, Spark, Spark Arena, Spotify, Sum Square & Co, Ticketmaster, Triple M Management, Universal Music, Venue Merchandising Services, Warner Chappell, Warner Music, Universal Music, Universal Music Publishing, Venue Merchandising Services .
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About MusicHelps: MusicHelps uses the power of music to help & heal New Zealanders in need. The charity develops & supports a wide range of programmes that use music to help people who are at risk, vulnerable and experiencing health issues. The charity has made projects impacting over 60,000 people possible at youth organisations, hospices, schools, medical charities, rehabilitation centres and more all-over New Zealand. MusicHelps also provides caring, confidential & practical support to kiwi music people experiencing illness, distress & hardship. It provides vital support including medical treatment, counselling and hardship assistance to kiwi music people and their families in times of crisis.