Jägermeister CA launches $100,000 relief fund for live music venues
The live music industry has been shattered by COVID-19 restrictions, and Jägermeister Canada is partnering with the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) to provide a $100,000 relief fund to help independent music venues survive the downturn.
More than 100,000 arts, entertainment, and recreation workers lost their job in 2020 and revenue cratered—down 92% year-over-year—as live event sites were forced to shutter. Even as vaccination efforts roll out across the nation, the industry’s future remains uncertain. Now, May 25 through June 2, independent music venues impacted by the pandemic can apply for assistance from the new fund, which Jägermeister Canada will run in partnership with the CLMA. Using a lottery system, up to 100 recipients will be identified for financial assistance. All registration details can be found at jagermeister.com/music
“Music is part of Jägermeister’s DNA,” says John Kelly, Senior Brand Manager, Jägermeister Canada. “Around the world, we celebrate every kind of artist, every sound that moves us and every song that brings us together. Live music needs a place to play, but the global pandemic has crushed the industry. Through our partnership with Canadian Live Music Association, our global #SaveTheNight initiative and a variety of other international relief initiatives, we’re committed to supporting independent live music venues. Music gets people out of their seats, but the pandemic has brought the industry to its knees. Let’s keep live music going so it can bring us all together again.”
Independent Canadian music venues play a vital role in the music ecosystem; these are creative spaces known for incubating the talent of tomorrow and bringing communities together. Many of today’s best-known artists started their careers on indie stages, and it is Jägermeister’s hope that this urgent relief fund will help keep the lights on and get the music going again.
“This is leadership. Thank you, Jägermeister, for taking your corporate and social responsibility to heart. I hope it inspires others who benefit from live music activity to help,” says CLMA President and CEO Erin Benjamin. “It’s partnerships like these that give our industry hope—and remind us that we are, indeed, all in this together.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Canadian live music industry contributed over $3 billion annually to Canada’s GDP. Since March 2020, the live music ecosystem in Canada has been devastated, with over 85 venues permanently closing their doors. Struggling to stay afloat, many venues are now incurring significant debt after depleting their savings and exhausting initial government relief. The financial strains of the past year will linger beyond the nation’s return to normal for the small businesses that survive.
Key Facts:
92% — Venues’ average revenue loss
60% — Venues completely dependent on relief funds
114,000 — Number of artists, technicians, marketing staff, arts administrators and other cultural workers who lost their job in 2020.
Jägermeister Canada and the CLMA will work together throughout 2021 to bring greater attention and support to the suffering industry. In addition to the relief fund, Jägermeister is encouraging music lovers everywhere to join the movement by sharing their favourite live music memories, concert videos, and photos on social media, using the #ForTheLoveOfLive hashtag.
To learn more about what Jägermeister is doing to support live music in Canada, visit jagermeister.com/music. For more about the impact of COVID-19 on Canada’s live music industry, visit canadianlivemusic.ca/fortheloveoflive
Let’s amplify our love of live! Help live music live on.
ABOUT JAGERMEISTER CANADA:
Introduced 80 years ago, Jägermeister, German for “Master Hunter,” is the #1 selling herbal liqueur in Canada. Ranked 8th by Impact International’s definitive Top 100 Premium Spirit Brands, this herbal spirit is one of the most successful premium brands worldwide and available in 129 countries around the world. The iconic taste of Jägermeister is not left to chance but is due to decades of experience, a safely guarded secret recipe consisting of 56 natural herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits including star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger roots, and 383 quality checks. The botanical ingredients are extracted in their raw, unprocessed form through a gentle, weeks-long process of cold maceration to create Jägermeister’s base. The base, housed in more than 400 oak casks, then “breathes” for one full year, which is key to creating the complex and balanced flavor of Jägermeister’s legendary taste profile. Visit www.jagermeister.com and follow @JagermeisterCanada on Facebook and Instagram. Distributed by PMA Canada. www.pmacanada.com. DRINK RESPONSIBLY
ABOUT THE CANADIAN LIVE MUSIC ASSOCIATION:
The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is the voice of Canada’s live music industry. Established in response to an identified need in the music industry, the CLMA represents the full spectrum of the live music sector, including concert promoters, festivals, talent agencies, venues, clubs, arenas, performing arts centres, ticketing companies, industry associations and networks, as well as suppliers to the sector. Its mission is to entrench the economic, social and cultural value of live music — creating the conditions for concerts to thrive, from coast to coast to coast.
For more information:
PHILIP VANDEN BRANDE | Vice President & Partner, annexe
phil@annexe.media | +1 438 402 7391 | www.annexe.media