The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin has announced (9 March) a number of new measures to support the live music and entertainment sector. Among them are a Live Performance Support Scheme worth €25 million and a Music Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme worth €14 million. There are also supports for local authorities (€5m), a scheme for purchasing recording and streaming equipment (€5m), and €1m in funding for the St Patrick’s Festival, which is online this year.

The Live Performance Support Scheme follows on from the €5m pilot Live Performance Support Scheme launched last September. The new, enhanced scheme will offer €25m in support for events taking place until 30 September 2021 and awards range from €10,000 upwards. It is aimed towards commercial venues, producers and promoters in the culture sector (e.g. music, entertainment and theatre). The scheme will open for applications on 19 March and the deadline for submissions is 14 April. 

Supports for businesses
The new live performance scheme is part of a €50 million suite of measures for the entertainment sector that also includes the Music Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme, a €14 million fund to contribute to the overheads for businesses that have been significantly negatively affected by the pandemic. The new scheme is for sole traders, partnerships and incorporated entities within the sector and is expected to open for applications next month. 

Another €5 million is being allocated to local authorities for the facilitation of outdoor live performances this summer, should public health advice permit, while a separate €5 million scheme will be launched for supporting the installation of high-quality recording and streaming facilities in venues. 

Commenting on the announcement, Minister Martin said:

This range of measures will assist commercial venues, producers and promoters to do what they do best – make work for audiences – and provide a valuable asset to our society missing culture and entertainment. In addition, the new measures support the indispensable bedrock of our music industry assisting businesses, performers, musicians and crew.  

We as a nation need to continue to see and experience Irish art and this scheme will provide wellbeing benefits to both participants and members of the public through the high quality performances made available online in 2021. I look forward to the roll out of these support schemes which will provide a much needed and vital support for the live performance sector. 

The Minister also announced that she is establishing a Return to Live Entertainment Working Group in order to develop Covid-19 guidance for the entertainment sector. The membership will include stakeholders from the events industry.

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