Stagehand and Crowdfunder have launched #ILoveLive, a prize draw campaign organised to raise funds for the production staff and stage crew impacted by the loss of work caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Stagehand is the only UK charity specifically dedicated to providing hardship funding for live events industry workers and aims to raise at least £1m before Christmas.
The industry was the first to close and will be the last to reopen, resulting in thousands of people facing immense hardship. The problem is intensified by the nature of the industry. More than 60% of people working in the industry are freelancers without any support from a larger company and more than 20% of all crew have discovered they qualify for no government support at all.
The Stagehand and the #ILoveLive initiative aims not only make a practical difference to helping people survive the huge challenges that they face, but it also offers a reminder that the wider community cares about their plight.
The #ILoveLive campaign gives fans the chance to give something back to the people who make life-affirming live events happen and to win money-can’t-buy prizes from their favourite artists. The #ILoveLive campaign, in partnership with Crowdfunder UK (who have waived their platform fees), features a list of all of the artists who have contributed prizes. Fans can choose which artists they want to buy tickets for and can increase their chances of winning by purchasing multiple tickets. Tickets are priced at £5 each. The draw is now live and remains open until 6pm on 17 December. The winners will then be chosen on 23 December. and prizes will be sent out in January.
Among the prizes on offer are Eric Clapton’s personal signed Martin custom shop OM Bob Gruhn acoustic, Liam Gallagher’s Les Paul studio guitar (signed), the Fender Stratocaster used throughout Mark Knopfler’s 2019 world tour (signed) and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey’s ESP guitar that played at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985.
The #ILoveLive campaign has been spearheaded by artist manager and promoter David Stopps with Andy Lenthall and Mike Lowe at Stagehand. They appealed to PPL, the BPI, major record labels and artist management companies, and raised £280,000 – most of which went to the 300 crew members in the most desperate need earlier this month.
‘We know that when live shows can take place again in financially viable ways, the industry will be extremely busy,’ says Lowe, the Chair of Stagehand’s Board of Trustees. ‘Artists, festivals and venues just want to get back to work and the public are hungry to see live entertainment again. No live show of any kind can happen without the skills and expertise of the army of live events workers. I am sure that the live events industry workers who we can help, will join me and my fellow trustees in expressing our massive appreciation for making all of this happen in the most difficult and unprecedented of times.’
‘When I heard about the tenth suicide among stage crew in late August I knew I had to do something,’ Stopps adds. ‘Stage crew are not only suffering great financial hardship but most are also experiencing ill mental health. Money raised from these prize draws will actually save lives and help to safeguard their future.’
‘This is a really exciting campaign and we are thrilled to be partnering with Stagehand and an array of incredible talent,’ says Rob Love, CEO of Crowdfunder. ‘Running prize draws with money-can’t-buy prizes can be a really effective fundraising tool. This crucial campaign will help support the ‘behind the scenes’ workers in the live music industry who have been left without work for months.’
