“We cannot let cuts, austerity & corporate greed destroy the next generation of talent, artists & expression.”
Jeremy Corbyn MP
By Our Correspondent
Jeremy Corbyn will appear at a ‘Music for the Many’ rally tonight at The World Transformed (TWT) festival.
Speaking to Labour Outlook on the reasons for tonight’s event and the ongoing campaign, Samuel Sweek of the Peace and Justice Project and Music for the Many co-ordinator said, “The UK music sector has lost 15.7% of its grassroots music venues in the UK so far in 2023. This represents 125 venues shutting their doors for good, the loss of over 4,000 jobs, £9 million of income for musicians and £59 million in lost direct economic activity.
The Peace & Justice Project launched Music For The Many in April 2023 with the aim of promoting and protecting grassroots music venues, supporting inclusive gig/festival line-ups and calling on the government to invest in the future of the arts.
The demands set out by MFTM are greater funding of the arts and the creation of a grassroots music venue support fund paid for by a small levy on large music venue corporate sponsorship.
The rhetoric pumped out by the Tory government in recent weeks has been appalling. This campaign and our Project stands in solidarity with refugees and the trans community who have faced abhorrent attacks from a dangerous government reeking of desperation. Our rally and gig with English Teacher on Sunday night of TWT will be a celebration of solidarity and hope.”
Jeremy Corbyn MP added, “The prospect of losing hundreds of the UK’s grassroots music venues should be a wake up call for the government to act immediately to secure futures of these absolutely invaluable community creative spaces.
We cannot let cuts, austerity and corporate greed destroy the next generation of talent, artists and expression.”
- The Music for the Many event takes place on Sunday 8 October at District from 8-11pm. Full info and tickets are available here.
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