In an open letter to the Welsh Government, Music Venue Trust (MVT) has called for an official date live music can return to Welsh Venues.
The Trust, which represents the interest of grassroots venues in the UK, wrote in the letter: “The alert level for reopening these venues with socially distanced measures has been achieved, but live music is not being permitted and no guidance is being issued.” They continued: “Welsh grassroots music venues can be open, but live music cannot take place. Bizarrely, with the planned reopening of English grassroots music venues with live music, and the removal of travel restrictions for Welsh residents, from Monday 17 May Welsh artists can perform, and Welsh audiences can see live music, but not in Welsh venues.”
Open Letter to Welsh Government: What is the purpose of cultural venues being open if cultural activities are not being permitted to take place? A thread… pic.twitter.com/Jtk14f7oYh
— Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust) May 14, 2021
Included in the letter, MVT established two key factors they feel the Welsh Government must address: “1. Issue coherent guidance for the performing arts (including removing the limits on singing and wind instruments to acknowledge…2. Clarify restrictions and establish a clear date on which Welsh audiences can see Welsh artists play in Welsh grassroots music venues.” Describing the situation as “plainly against the interests of Welsh venues, artists and audiences,” the Trust advised that it is “counter-intuitive for the protection of public health; residents of Wrexham (current rate per 100,000 of 4.5) cannot see live music in their own city, but can travel 13 miles to Chester (current rate per 100,000 of 38.5) to see live music. “
Music Venue Alliance Wales co-ordinator for the Music Venue Trust, Sam Dabb said on the issue: “The new hospitality guidance includes guidance for performance such as concert halls and theatres being allowed to sell refreshments for consumption during a seated performance. But performance itself is still illegal under the performing arts guidance and we feel it’s a massive oversight on behalf of Welsh Government.”
The Welsh Government have said that the latest easing of lockdown restrictions last Monday (17 May 2021) “will allow large sections of the hospitality and entertainment sector to reopen – and open indoors – and also allow us to pilot live music events.” Although they are yet to give a set a date for when music can return to Welsh Venues, they have said they will consider moving to alert level 1 “if the public health situation remains positive, at the next three-week review at the start of June.”
The Music Venue Trust was set up in 2014 to help ‘protect, secure and improve’ music venues in the United Kingdom. MVT launched the #saveourvenues campaign last February after announcing that 20 grassroots music venues face the risk of permanent closure, who were ineligible to receive funding or who were unsuccessful in their application to receive support from the Cultural recovery fund.
