MANAGERS HANDED ANOTHER LIFELINE

The U.K.'s Music Managers Forum (MMF) has opened round four of its ReBuild Fund, which provides emergency support to music-management businesses adversely affected by COVID-19 but excluded from government-assistance packages. The new round has been made possible thanks to further donations from PPL, the BRIT Awards and Hipgnosis Songs.

MMF launched ReBuild in May 2020 after research revealed a double whammy of cash losses for music managers of £5.6m combined with the inability of sole traders and limited companies to access the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). So far, the fund has provided targeted grants to 77 music-management businesses that help guide the careers of more than 400 artists, songwriters, producers and DJs. Recipients have also received expert-led sessions in financial planning and group resilience.

“Despite the hope of returning to live music this summer, many music managers continue to grapple with the twin shocks of a pandemic and Brexit, making the road to a full recovery a long one,” Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive of the MMF, said. “ReBuild has been essential for many of these managers' survival and with this fourth round of funding, we’ll be able to spread that support even wider.”

Administered by charity Help Musicians, the fund is also backed by previous donations from Spotify, Glastry, Everybody’s, One Fifteen Management, East City Management and Grumpy Old Management.