Ahead of next week’s ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag), head of programme Robert Meijerink has told IQ there is “magic” in helping emerging artists launch onto the European scene.

The annual music showcase festival and conference is set to take place between 15–18 January in Groningen, the Netherlands. It will include over 300 emerging acts from 24 European countries across its festival lineup, alongside more than 500 industry professionals in panel discussions, workshops and keynotes.

Though all programming has traditionally been staged in venues across the city, this year’s edition will see showcases in de Oosterpoort, the main conference centre, for the first time on Wednesday (15 January).

Centralising programming not only helps control venue and staffing costs, Meijerink says, but also brings the final part of the day’s schedule into one primary location, making it practical for delegates and festivalgoers alike. Over 50 artists will perform across the evening.

“Everything is under one roof, so it makes it very convenient for all the visitors to see the artists they want to see,” he explained. “Normally, it’s in the city and you have to walk, or sometimes cycle or get a cab, to make it in time to see the next band.

“Eurosonic is about music first, but it’s also about networking. People want to see each other. It’s quite important for many music professionals to check in with each other, and that’s very convenient and easy on that Wednesday evening.”

The 14th edition of the European Festival Awards are set for the same night in de Oosterpoort.

“It’s always our general focus to promote talents from all corners of Europe”

For 2025, Eurosonic has selected Italy as its focus country as part of its ongoing effort to showcase musical diversity across Europe. Sixteen emerging Italian acts will be featured across the four-day festival, including Bassolino, BigMama, Daniela Pes, Kharfi, and Kyoto.

Meijerink says the global success of the Eurovision-winning Italian band Måneskin was a big push to spotlight other developing talent in the southern European country.

“The business in Italy became more conscious of the opportunities outside Italy, so we were in talks with our partners there. They all felt like, to kick in these doors and to make everyone aware, in the slipstream of success not only about Måneskin, that more and more artists are from Italy.”

“This seems to be the right year to not only kick in these doors but also make people aware of the huge diversity and relevancy of the Italian music scene,” he says.

In addition to a one-country spotlight, Meijerink says Eurosonic has honed in on an overall European focus and how the team can help non-EU countries flourish: “We don’t have any borders. We consider live music should include everything that is relevant.”

“It’s always our general focus to promote talents from all corners of Europe, including the UK, Switzerland and Norway, which are not part of the EU as well.”

Recently, ESNS’s European Talent Booking Exchange revealed the top five most-booked artists of 2024 hailed from the UK and Ireland. To date, the scheme has supported nearly 2,300 European artists — including Stromae, Fontaines D.C., The XX, Sam Smith, and Hozier — to perform at over 5,600 shows across 197 partner festivals in 44 countries.

Helping support artists to expand their horizons and audiences outside their home country, who are likely performing internationally for the first time, is a key highlight for Meijerink.

“To bring artists from their home country where they built a fan base already into Groningen, where they literally don’t know anyone, to perform in front of a professional audience also consisting of many music lovers who buy tickets to discover these artists — It’s all about that. There’s magic in it.”

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Venue association Liveurope has been awarded €2.8 million funding from the EU to continue its mission to showcase emerging European talent.

The platform, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, was established via the European Union’s Creative Europe programme and allocates funding to members based on the number of emerging European acts they book.

According to the organisation, the model has led to a 63% increase in non-national European artists programmed on average compared to before they became a member.

“In times where artists increasingly rely on touring to make a living, production costs for gigs continue to explode, and multinational conglomerates dominate more and more the live music value chain, Liveurope’s mission, to support venues to take risks and invest in the next generation of European artists, gains a whole new meaning,” says Liveurope’s general coordinator Fernando Bittencourt Hersan.

“Liveurope has made a tremendous difference for the music scene in Europe”

It marks the fourth consecutive time that Liveurope, which represents a network of 24 venues across the continent, has had its EU funding renewed. And with the €2.8m grant now secured for 2025-2028, the platform is set to reach a milestone of 8,000 supported concerts by the end of the grant period.

“Liveurope has made a tremendous difference for the music scene in Europe,” adds Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, director general of the European Commission’s directorate-general for education, youth, sport and culture. “It has made a huge contribution to thousands of emerging artists it has supported, fostering the power of music to inspire and unite.”

The platform has supported more than 5,000 concerts with new European talent over the past decade, including now established names such as Hania Rani (PL), Altın Gün (NL) and MØ (DK). Members include Docks Lausanne, Ancienne Belgique in Brussels and Luxembourg’s Rockhal.

The new funding cycle will also focus on sustainability and inclusivity, with Liveurope planning to collect data to promote sustainable touring practices and encourage the use of greener transport options. A Keychange pledge signatory, Liveurope is also aiming for 50% of the acts supported to reflect gender balance by 2028.

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The European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA) is calling for an overhaul in how “withholding tax” is applied to touring musicians in the EU.

The umbrella organisation for more than 3,000 music managers across Europe has coordinated a letter to MEPs and EU Commissioners on the issue, backed by a cross-section of trade bodies, as well as music export offices.

Withholding taxes are typically deducted as a percentage of an artist’s gross payment when they perform in a foreign territory – theoretically providing a bond towards any taxes owed in the country of earning. However, EMMA says that no consideration is made of the actual costs and profitability of touring, with many artists overpaying the tax they owe as a result.

By comparison, US artists playing in Europe benefit from international treaties that means no withholding tax is charged until they earn over a certain threshold – typically €20,000.

“The cost burdens shouldered by European artists when they want to perform live shows have increased enormously over recent years,” says EMMA executive director Jess Partridge. “To the point where touring across Europe has become financially precarious, especially for small and mid-sized artists who are building an audience.

“An already impossible situation is being compounded by the unfair and discriminatory way in which withholding taxes are collected. We believe the European Parliament has the power to alleviate these challenges.”

EMMA is recommending that European artists receive equal parity – either from a similar universally-applied threshold on earnings; or by standardising systems already operational in Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and the Netherlands, where no withholding taxes are imposed on foreign artists on short-term visits.

“It is imperative the present regime of withholding taxes is overhauled and European artists are given parity with their US counterparts”

“If MEPs want to promote greater cultural diversity and economic activity through cross-border live touring, then it is imperative the present regime of withholding taxes is overhauled and European artists are given parity with their US counterparts,” adds Partridge.

The letter to the European Parliament, which is countersigned by IAO, IMPALA, FIM, EMEE, Live DMA and Liveurope can be read here.

“Europe’s live music sector is projected to reach a value of $38bn by 2030,” says Per Kviman, founder of Versity Music and chair of EMMA. “That immense cultural and economic impact is wholly dependent upon touring artists and musicians. As well as attracting audiences to their performances, these talented and creative individuals are directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“However these benefits are jeopardised by an outdated and discriminatory application of withholding taxes. If we want European artists to compete on a global stage, then it is vital the European Parliament acts on this issue.”

Helen Smith, executive chair of IMPALA, adds: “Cross-border touring is essential for the livelihood and growth of artists, particularly in the independent sector. The current withholding tax system penalises the smaller and emerging artists who can lack the financial resources and administrative support to navigate its complexities and can give an advantage to acts from certain areas of the world, at the expense of European talent.

“IMPALA and other pan-European music organisations previously called on EU member states to engage with the music sector to address these barriers as part of ‘A New European Vision for Touring’. By implementing fair and standardised rules, the European Parliament has a chance to empower our artists, strengthen the music ecosystem, and ensure Europe remains a competitive global hub for cultural diversity and innovation.”

EMMA will lead a panel discussion titled How is European Policy Hurting Touring Artists – and How Can We Change It? at the ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) conference on Friday 17 January 2025.

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Viagogo has committed to improving terms and consumer information on its website following a three-year investigation by the European Commission (EC).

The agreed changes, which must be implemented to the versions of its website directed at EU/EEA consumers by the end of August 2024, include informing consumers on whether the seller of a ticket is a trader, and substantially reducing the number of countdown messages that appear when making a purchase.

In addition, the secondary ticketing site will allow customers to choose an exact seat number on their ticket, where possible, and include delivery fees in the displayed price where there is only one delivery option available for a ticket. There will also be more time to apply for a refund under Viagogo’s ‘discretionary’ ticket guarantee scheme, as featured this week on the BBC’s Watchdog consumer advice programme in the UK.

The agreement further clarifies that EU citizens will be protected by their national consumer laws and can take actions against Viagogo, if needed, in their own country of residence.

The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, coordinated by the EC, began a dialogue with Viagogo in April 2021. As a result of this first coordinated action from the EU, the Swiss-headquartered resale platform has agreed to implement a number of changes and clarifications to several clauses in its terms & conditions by the end of August.

“Consumers buying second hand tickets must understand exactly what they buy, the potential risks they face when tickets do not come from authorised retailers and that scarcity claims may only be a trick to make them purchase at a higher price,” says Věra Jourová, the EC’s VP for values and transparency. “I hope the commitments made by Viagogo will bring the company’s website and terms and conditions more in line with the requirements of EU consumer protection law. I call on this market leader now to ensure a swift and accurate implementation of its commitments across the Union.”

“We expect this will save lots of time and money in legal battles, which the live performance sector can ill afford”

A Viagogo spokesperson says: “Following a period of ongoing cooperation with the European Commission and the CPC Network, we have agreed to make amendments to our platform that will further enhance our consumer protection measures by the implementation deadline.

“Viagogo remains fully committed to fulfilling all legal obligations and ensuring compliance in all markets in which we operate. We are pleased to have reached a resolution and underline our commitment to prioritising fan safety and access.”

Commenting on the development, Sam Shemtob, director of the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), says: “FEAT has been calling for better enforcement for rogue ticket resale marketplaces for five years. This is the EU’s first coordinated action, and introduces some of the most far-reaching consumer protection for European consumers to date.

“The changes will also prove incredibly useful in promoters’ efforts to curtail ticket scalping. We expect this will save lots of time and money in legal battles, which the live performance sector can ill afford.”

Nevertheless, Viagogo has refused to commit to changes the CPC Network had requested around informing consumers about the amount of possible delivery fees at the beginning of the purchase procedure, as well as making clearer to consumers that they may have additional rights when their event is cancelled or postponed.

“The CPC Network urged Viagogo to address these issues as well and may resort to enforcement actions as necessary,” says the EC. “The CPC Network will now actively monitor how Viagogo implements its commitments. If Viagogo does not implement the commitments properly within the agreed timeframe or if it fails to address the remaining concerns raised by the CPC Network, national consumer authorities may decide to take measures to enforce compliance, including sanctions.”

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A pan-European coalition of music organisations is calling on EU member states to engage in dialogue with the sector around the issue of cross-border touring.

IAO, IMPALA, FIM, EMEE, Live DMA, Liveurope and EMMA have joined forces in the wake of Spain taking over the presidency of the EU Council a few weeks ago.

The groups have written an open letter entitled A New European Vision for Touring, which puts forward potential solutions to “the long-standing issues faced by the music sector”.

“There is a need for a new vision for European touring that enhances security, co-operation and cross-border cultural exchange across the EEA, while also enhancing European culture and live experience,” say the letter. “Facilitating live shows is crucial for artists and labels who were entirely deprived of their performance revenues for more than two years with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is also crucial for Europe’s cultural competitiveness, at a time where non-European repertoire overperforms in the region. And let’s not forget that promoting cross border tours within the EEA will also have a positive impact on sustainability in the sector.

“Improved mobility will provide greater artist engagement through new routes and slow touring  in Europe’s regions, as new opportunities will serve less pressure for tours to cover only major cities to maximise profits at the expense of high mileage. This will be vital for the music sector’s role in mitigating the current energy crisis and assisting the EU’s green transition.”

“Europe’s support of its cultural and creative sector during the pandemic was inspiring, let’s build on that to fix the long-standing issues faced by the music sector”

In order to achieve “lasting” positive change, it adds, mobility questions “should be mapped and reassessed in light of their real experiences and impact to economic and cultural competitiveness”.

“Do we need a simplified process, particularly given the lasting impact of Covid?” it continues. “What steps do we need to take to reduce red tape and boost European culture? Do we need a European cultural area and a new status for artists and cultural workers in terms of visas? The question of mobility in greater Europe is vital but understandably complex in the current climate.”

The organisations say establishing a dialogue with EU members would be a first step to tackling the main challenges of touring, which it lists as visa issues, carnets, excessive” tax burdens, future-proofing cabotage rules, funding opportunities at EU level, and obstacles for carrying musical instruments on planes.

“Our call asks for the continuation of initiatives that have already proved essential to the sector, namely: the opportunity for the European Commission to launch studies within the Culture Council work programme which helped further knowledge and understanding of the music sector, its needs and challenges,” adds the letter. “We also recommend that the topic of mobility is added to the next work programme.”

It concludes: “Europe’s support of its cultural and creative sector during the pandemic was inspiring, let’s build on that to fix the long-standing issues faced by the music sector.”

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Venue association Liveurope has pledged to continue boosting the circulation of new European talent for the next three years after being selected for EU funding for the third consecutive time.

The Brussels-based organisation will see its annual budget increase by 40% (from €500,000 per year for 2014-2021 to €700,000 for 2022-2024), totalling €2.1m over three years, and aims to play an active role in the ongoing recovery of the live music sector post-pandemic. It has also welcomed five new venues, taking its membership from 15 to 20.

The platform supports music venues across the continent to book the most promising European artists, distributing grants to its members in proportion to the amount of young acts they book. On average, the model has helped the venues book 63% more emerging European non-national acts than prior to joining.

“After these difficult years for our sector, we’re proud to continue growing our European collaboration and support more venues boost their European programming,” says Elise Phamgia, Liveurope’s coordinator. “Through this, we hope to help them present more European music diversity to their audiences.”

“Liveurope has changed our programming approaches and given our audiences access to new acts they might not have discovered otherwise”

Established in 2014 with support from the European Union, nearly 3,000 artists have benefited from the platform’s support including now established names such as Christine and the Queens, Rosalía and MØ.

“Liveurope has changed our programming approaches and given our audiences access to new acts they might not have discovered otherwise,” says Matjaz Mancek, head of music at Kino Siska in Slovenia.

Liveurope is also introducing new priorities and activities to further strengthen its impact on the sector and the promotion of European diversity. The platform will actively engage on urgent societal topics such as ecology and gender balance, fostering cross-border discussions among the members and coming up with concrete tools to tackle them.

Upcoming editions of the flagship Liveurope rotating festival will also now include training and coaching sessions to further support artists’ development.

“Liveurope is a key partner in our shared efforts to give emerging artists the opportunity to go on stage, and to meet and develop their audiences across Europe,” adds Mariya Gabriel, European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth

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Denmark’s live association Dansk Live says that the live industry continues to be challenged despite reopening.

On 5 February, Denmark became the first country in the EU to lift all coronavirus measures but Dansk Live warns that concert organisers are still facing major challenges.

“Although the majority of the country’s organisers have survived the crisis, the challenges are clear in many places,” says head of secretariat Esben Marcher.

“Not only has the audience not yet fully returned to the concerts. Many places are challenged on the crucial voluntary commitment, and also the prices of things like materials which are sky-high.”

“These organisers are now in a situation where there is no room for manoeuvre to make the necessary investments”

He continues: “The crisis has been both deep and long and despite compensation schemes and various pools, many have had to dig deep into savings, take out loans, etc. These organisers are now in a situation where there is no room for manoeuvre to make the necessary investments in organisation and facilities. At worst, it could hit them hard in the time to come.”

Marcher also warns of low confidence among organisers and suppliers and says it will take time for the “natural caution” to disappear.

“Internally in the industry, the crisis has left deep traces,” he says. “The dialogue between organisers and suppliers of all kinds takes place in many places in clear memory of the time we have been through. Confidence that the planned will be implemented must be rebuilt, and there is a natural caution that will probably only disappear when we have completed festivals and more concerts again.”

The head of secretariat is now proposing that the government create a new recovery pool for organisers who have been hit particularly hard by the crisis.

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The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music (APPG) has announced a cross-party inquiry into the barriers facing musicians touring the EU. 

The inquiry will focus on visas and work permits, carnets and CITES (instrument manufacturing materials), cabotage (transport issues), effect on the UK music industry, effect on emerging artists, and potential solutions.

MPs are keen to hear from those impacted ahead of the first evidence session later this month.

“This is a hugely welcome move by MPs from across the political divide who are as keen as we are to overcome the barriers facing musicians and crew touring the EU,” says UK Music CEO Jamie Njoku-Goodwin.

“The extra costs and red tape mean some artists are losing work and some tours, particularly those by emerging musicians, are not viable at the moment.

“We need urgent government action to break down the barriers facing musicians and crew including a transitional support package of financial aid and further steps to encourage exports.”

As part of its investigation, the group is calling for evidence on the impact the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) – the UK/EU trade deal signed following the UK’s departure from the EU – has had on UK music workers and companies looking to tour and work short-term in EU member states.

Musicians and crew are facing an enormous and grave problem when it comes to touring the EU that is not going to go away

UK musicians and performers can presently enjoy visa-free short-term touring in 20 of the bloc’s 27 nations, following conversations between Britain and individual European Union countries.

The governments of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden have all confirmed that British artists will not need a visa or work permit when entering those countries to undertake “short-term” tours.

Still absent from the list, however, are major touring markets such as Spain and Portugal, as well as Greece, Croatia, Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria.

The APPG has written to prime minister Boris Johnson to demand “urgent action” over the current deadlock, and is calling for a meeting to discuss ways of overcoming obstacles around visas and transport red tape. 

“Musicians and crew are facing an enormous and grave problem when it comes to touring the EU that is not going to go away,” says APPG chair, Conservative MP David Warburton. “Our cross-party group has written to the prime minister to ask him to take urgent action to clear these visa and travel barriers that threaten the success of the UK music industry, particularly emerging artists.

“We need the government to ramp up negotiations with nations like Spain where costly visas are still in place and to look for swift solutions to both the visa and transport issues facing musicians and crew.”

The APPG has voiced its support for artist-led music industry campaign #LetTheMusicMove, which launched in June and is pushing for a reduction in the costs and red tape which will face UK musicians and businesses when touring mainland Europe.

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All but eight EU member states have confirmed that British artists will not need visas or work permits when European touring resumes, the UK government announced today (4 August).

Following conversations between Britain and individual European Union countries, UK musicians and performers can enjoy visa-free short-term touring in 19 of the bloc’s 27 nations, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

British authorities said in January they were pursuing a bilateral solution after the UK and EU failed to reach an EU-wide agreement on the deadlock facing touring artists.

According to DCMS, the governments of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden have all confirmed that British artists will not need a visa or work permit when entering those countries to undertake “short-term” tours.

“We are actively engaging with the remaining EU member states that do not allow visa- and permit-free touring”

A DCMS spokesperson tells IQ the definition of a short-term tour varies from country to country, but is up to a maximum of three months. Full information, they add, will be available on each EU member state’s UK embassy website.

Absent from the list are major touring markets such as Spain and Portugal, as well as Greece, Croatia, Romania, Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria. The department says is “actively engaging with the remaining EU member states that do not allow visa- and permit-free touring” has made formal approaches to them “to align their arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow touring performers and support staff to come to the UK for up to three months without a visa”.

“We recognise challenges remain around touring, and we are continuing to work closely with the industry,” says DCMS in a statement. “We want to ensure that when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, touring can resume and our world-leading creative and cultural artists can continue to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world.”

Today’s announcement follows a special parliamentary committee in June which saw lawmakers, industry professionals and stars such as Elton John slam the government over its failure to secure an exemption to post-Brexit freedom-of-movement rules for musicians.

Responding to the announcement from DCMS, a spokesperson for the #LetTheMusicMove campaign criticises the department’s “spin” and says the government must provide the music industry with a country-by-country breakdown of the exact requirements for touring artists.

“Despite the spin, this statement represents an admission of failure”

“We continue to cooperate in good faith with government and officials on the critical issue of EU touring. However, the latest announcement is nothing more than we already knew,” they say. “It remains that the UK’s music industry is in a far less advantageous position now than it was pre-January.

“Despite the spin, this statement represents an admission of failure: Failure to fulfil the promises made by government about securing our industry’s future during negotiations, failure to ‘fix’ the issue, as per the PM’s statement of March this year, and failure to provide certainty around touring in almost a third of EU countries, eight months after the music industry was dealt a no-deal scenario.

“We launched #LetTheMusicMove in June, which saw thousands of artists sign up to highlight the crisis that our industry finds itself in. Yet there has been no political representation in the meetings on the issues for months, let alone any signal that the government is ‘straining every sinew’ to help our £6bn sector.

“If there is a serious intention to fix the problems created by the government’s failure in negotiations, they must start by being honest with our sector and the public about the current status regarding EU touring. As a start, the government must publish full details on a country-by-country basis, outlining the exact requirements for touring performers and crew across all 27 member states.”

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The European Commission has published new guidelines to enable the safe restart of cultural and creative activities across the EU.

The guidelines, presented yesterday (29 June) by the EC’s vice-president for ‘promoting our European way of life’, Margaritis Schinas, and the commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, Mariya Gabriel, aim to “provide a coordinated approach in line with the specific national, regional and local conditions” in individual member states as the epidemiological situation increases across the European Union, says the EC.

“Culture helped people cope with the impacts of lockdowns and social distancing. It is now our turn to accompany the sectors in their path to reopening,” says Schinas (pictured). “We need coordinated and tailor-made efforts across the EU to allow the culture world to safely and gradually resume its activities and be more prepared for future crises.

“The cultural and creative sectors are strong European assets and are important for Europe’s sustainable recovery, increased resilience of European society and, more generally, our European way of life.”

“We need coordinated and tailor-made efforts across the EU to allow the culture world to safely and gradually resume its activities”

The EU guidelines, developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in partnership with the EU Health Security Committee, recommend the following:

• The lifting of all restrictions should be strategic and gradual, with a restricted number of participants at the beginning to assess the epidemiological situation
• Cultural establishments should have a preparedness plan detailing protocols of actions when Covid-19 cases are detected
• Targeted information and/or ad-hoc training should be made available for all staff in cultural establishments to minimise risks of infection
• Vaccination of persons working in cultural settings should be promoted to ensure their and the public’s protection
• Participants can be asked proof of negative Covid-19 test and/or vaccination and/or Covid-19 diagnosis in order to be admitted to the venue. Depending on the local circulation of variants, this requirement can be extended to fully vaccinated individuals
• Establishments should ensure that the contact details of the audiences are available in case they are needed for contact tracing
• The establishment should put in place targeted protective measures: maintaining social distancing whenever possible, clean and accessible hand-washing facilities, appropriate ventilation and frequent cleaning of surfaces. The use of face masks by attendees is an important complementary measure
• A range of actions to ensure the sustainable recovery of the entire sector should accompany the reopening of cultural venues. Actions at EU level complement those taken by Member States and by the sectors

EU member states, says the commission, are now invited to “take full advantage” of the bloc’s Recovery and Resilience Facility to invest in their national cultural sectors as the pandemic nears its end. Through Creative Europe (€2.5bn) and Horizon Europe (€2bn) nearly €4.5 billion is being made available for “cultural, creative and inclusive projects” from 2021 to 2027.

“The aim of these guidelines is to facilitate coordination of member states’ measures at EU level”

“The cultural and creative industries and sectors have paid a heavy toll since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, the crisis highlighted their importance for our society and economy,” comments Gabriel. “With the increased vaccine uptake, gradual lifting of restrictions, including in the field of culture, is taking place. The aim of these guidelines is to facilitate coordination of member states’ measures at EU level.

“Simultaneously, a safe reopening of cultural settings should go hand in hand with a range of actions to ensure the sustainable recovery and resilience of the entire sector.”

Welcoming the guidelines, Pearle* (Performing Arts Employers Associations League Europe) says attention to also be paid to the various successful test events in EU countries, which have proven that reopening at full capacity is possible with measures such as mass testing.

The Brussels-based federation also approves of the commissioners’ “presentation of funding lines”, underlining “that appropriate support packages are needed to revive the sector and recover from more than a year and a half of lost income,” says a Pearle* spokesperson. “The signal of the [European Commission] to put in place dedicated European funds need to be complemented with member state support, also at regional and local level,” they emphasise.

This article forms part of IQ’s Covid-19 resource centre – a knowledge hub of essential guidance and updating resources for uncertain times.

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