Anticipation is building in the €3.5 billion commercial live events sector that, after 15 months of misery, the end may be in sight. Minister for Tourism, Culture and Arts Catherine Martin has suggested that pilot events may take place over the next two months, possibly enabled by antigen testing, to see if live indoor and outdoor events may resume later in the summer.
The Minister is reported by The Irish Times political team to have told the launch of a National Museum and Design and Crafts Council collaboration that music and comedy shows, as well as sports events, will be piloted in coming months.
Companies within the sector, however, remain aggrieved about what they say is the slow rollout of €50 million of financial assistance that was promised to commercial live events operators in October’s budget. The cash was allocated after months of lobbying from commercial players, who felt they were being shortchanged while assistance was directed towards Arts Council-funded sectors.
Financial speeding
Whatever about piloting live events, which is to be welcomed, the speeding-up of the rollout of the financial assistance would seem to be of more immediate help for businesses whose solvency is in peril.
In the meantime, the pandemic has thrown another, albeit stubby, lifeline to many companies in the sector through the opening of the State’s mass coronavirus vaccination centres.
Industry players say many commercial live events contractors have been appointed to organise the smooth day-to-day operation of the venues dotted around the country, providing security and crowd control, and liaising with Garda and local authorities.
The sector appears to have proven its utility to the State by facilitating the operation of the vaccination programme that it is hoped will lead to the full reopening of the economy sometime later this year. It will still need to lobby hard to keep to the front of the queue for State assistance, as distress grows in other sectors such as aviation.
