Artists to receive royalty payments from APRA AMCOS for cancelled gigs & festival appearances

Image credit: Linda Xu on Unsplash  

APRA AMCOS members who have been forced to cancel gigs, concerts and festival appearances due to the latest wave of COVID-19 are now eligible to claim live performance royalties.

The new initiative aims to deliver direct financial support to music creators who lost royalties from performances that were due to take place in Australia and New Zealand from October 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022.

APRA AMCOS members can submit claims for cancelled performances here.

The cut off for submissions os February 28, and payments will be distributed in March.

For any artists who did manage to take to the stage throughout the payment period, their live performance royalties will also be fast-tracked for payment in March.

APRA chair, Jenny Morris, said the board had approved the initiative so the organisation could take swift action and support its members.

“Just as it felt like things were starting to open up and live music was ready to kick off a successful summer season, the latest COVID-19 wave once again cancelled live events causing substantial financial loss and emotional strain to our members and the broader industry,” she said.

“When a gig is cancelled, many are affected financially, professionally and personally. But there is an intangible cost as well when our artists are unable to bring communities together, connect with their fans and when they miss out on the career development that literally can only happen on stage.”

APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston, noted this was a crucial step in the recovery process, but once again called on the state and federal governments to do more.

“APRA AMCOS is putting royalties into the pockets of our members for the performances they intended to play. They planned, prepared and practiced and, through no fault of their own, once again they lost work and income,” he said.

“We urgently call on government leaders to provide direct support to the artists, sole traders and small to medium businesses through a wage subsidy program, ongoing crisis support through Support Act, micro-business grants and a national insurance scheme.”