Aotearoa music industry bodies have written a combined letter asking the government to urgently reinstate financial support in the shape of the wage subsidy and resurgence support payments in order to support music sector businesses and sole traders while NZ remains in the red setting of the covid protection framework.

The change to the red setting sees the music sector in the most precarious position it has faced during the pandemic. The summer festival and touring period accounts for the majority of annual live music income and provides a financial buffer for the rest of the calendar year. The 2022 ‘earning season’ has been drastically reduced, and many have already depleted their reserves surviving the uncertain times so far.

Reinstatement of the resurgence support payment and wage subsidy would assist almost all music sector businesses and sole traders, including the artists, to survive through this next phase of the government’s health response for Covid-19. It would support artists and performers, music venues, live music workers and technical crew people, along with assisting the rest of the music sector who will be affected by the ensuing impact.