‘If music be the food of love ….. play on’
So says a frustrated Orsino in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’.
‘If politicians be our leaders ……. then lead’
So says a frustrated me!
COVID19 has disrupted society in a manner those living today have never before experienced and all of us have had to adapt to in one way or another. Our leaders struggle to formulate plans to compensate for the problem faced - without knowing exactly what the problem faced is, how long it’s going to be a problem and where it’s going to leave us all if and when this problem is solved.
One of the most affected areas of society has been the arts in general and informal working musicians in particular.
‘The greatest result of human evolution is surely our appreciation of music and art’
In my home country of Ireland the facts are simple. Musicians that don’t constitute formal employment criteria are facing destitution of not just the food, drink and shelter kind but also of the ethereal and soul.
For time immemorial there are countless musicians and other practitioners of the arts who have benefited from the kindness of strangers, the patronage of pub and club owners and the appreciation of those who find and have found solace - and the food of love - in the live sound of a progression of note and lyric performed by those dedicated to their art.
A world without music and art is inconceivable to me and I have always struggled to understand why policy makers at governmental level place it so low down their list of priorities. Now we face a potential decimation of the fundamental base of musicians and artists who provide the informal access to live performance and the development of the aesthetic.
‘The business of leading primarily involves the business of solving problems through providing solutions’
THE MATH IS SIMPLE:
In Ireland a significant number of working musicians qualify for a social welfare payment of €206 per week.
The average working musician charges approximately €100 for a two hour performance in a city like Dublin.
This fee includes travel, hours of practice and a depth of talent.
The average professional working musician works on average four to five gigs a week in venues ranging from pubs to clubs to organised events giving them a mean income of about €450 a week
The average working wage in Ireland is just under €39,000 a year or about €750 per week.
HOW ABOUT THIS MISTER GOVERNMENT MAN / WOMAN?
Form and administer an association of venues that qualify in providing live entertainment for their customers
Add to that association a register of qualified musicians who are available to play for two hours every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in these venues.
Fund and allow the association to pay the musicians a taxable salary of €450 a week provided they meet the criteria of playing four nights a week in the associations’ venues.
Charge the venues €225 per four day performance fulfilment for providing the services of the associations’ registered musicians.
THE MATH IS SIMPLE:
THE BENEFIT OBVIOUS:
I appreciate the above constitutes nothing more than easy arithmetic and general bullet points. I am also aware of the difficulties in respect of venues being actually open to host entertainment and customers alike.
However for twenty five years I worked as a financial business analyst in Dublin, London and New York and I have an outline plan developed for a scheme that addresses such problems which can be detailed and enlarged by me or those with equal ability to turn it into a cohesive working model.
Personally I am happy to provide detail, share ideas and assist in the implementation of this scheme - free of charge - with anyone in the halls of power who can make a difference.
HOW ABOUT IT MISSUS GOVERNMENT WOMAN / MAN?
