The recently launched SOS – Save Our Scene initiative is urgently calling on government help for Victorian venues.
The calls come following the results of a survey conducted by Music Victoria and other peak bodies which revealed that of the 55 small to medium venues that participated, 42% of operators believe they will have to permanently close if they do not receive government support or are able to open at full capacity by the end of the year.
Only 20% of those surveyed said they felt confident they would be able to continue operating while 38% said they are unsure.
The SOS campaign was launched on 1 June and includes much-loved Victorian venues like The Espy, 170 Russell, The Forum, The Gasometer Hotel, Corner Hotel, Cherry Bar, Stay Gold, Croxton Bandroom, The Tote, Old Bar and more.
In the time since launching their petition, the campaign has now garnered more than 12,000 signatures calling for state government assistance.
“We are the pubs, theatres and clubs where Australian musicians get their start and hone their craft," said SOS spokesperson Simone Ubaldi.
"We are the venues where Victorian music lovers see shows not just once a year, but every night of the week. Our venues nurture the part of Victoria’s music culture that is uniquely Victorian, providing community, connectedness and wellbeing to people across the state.
"The 10,000 signatures we have received testify to just how important our music scene is to Australians, but we urgently need more people to sign and help make our voices heard."
"Melbourne’s live music scene has played a big part in enabling us to have a career for over 35 years, we need to look after each other so that we can all continue to do what we love," said Vika and Linda Bull.
"Small to mid sizes venues are a huge part of the good health of the Melbourne music scene," added Killing Heidi's Ella Hooper. "We are one the last communities with those stepping stones intact, a CRUCIAL stepping stone for bands starting out and cutting their teeth. We have to protect the trajectories of artists, musical and other, if we want to be leaders in the field of the arts."
Find out more about Save Our Scene and sign the petition here.
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