Ongoing research published in the Journal of Music, Health, and Wellbeing continues to provide strong evidence of the pandemic's huge impact...
One year into the pandemic, we conducted another coronavirus impact survey of our members, following up on surveys conducted in March 2020 and September 2020.
- A higher than anticipated number of members (17%) have held online events since March 2020; 8% managed at least one in-person performance; and 3% held hybrid concerts.
- Confidence is low: only 28% are planning public in-person events between May and August 2021; half are looking to the autumn for a first performance and over 20% don’t know or think it may be 2022.
- Venues are a recurring theme of concern: a quarter of members (27%) think they may have to find a different performance and/or rehearsal venue, for a variety of reasons
- The number of groups which have not met or undertaken any activity since March 2020 at all has reduced from 31% to 18%; 68% of members now operate online – up from 56% in September
- However, 57% report their participants don’t want to engage online (Zoomed out, safeguarding/family issues, unable to make noise in the evening etc.); and 47% state their members don’t have the hardware, software or skills to engage online
- 26% (up from 15%) have produced a virtual performance; and 13% are planning another one in 2021
- 24% met in person when/where allowed
- Despite the successful vaccination programme, an astonishing 67% of groups cite their own members’ anxieties as the top barrier to a return to in-person activity
- However, 53% hope to return to meeting in person between May and August 2021, and a further 32% plan to do so in September
- 82% of groups (up from 76%) say their financial situation is stable for now, only 17% (down from 22% in September) describe it as concerning and 1% as serious
- 78% of groups expect their income in the current financial year to be below £7,200 (compared to approx. 46% in a ‘normal’ year). By their next financial year, only 62% of groups expect their income to be so low, so they hope to be on the way to recovery.
- Making Music’s most highly rated support were our risk assessments, interpretation of government guidance, online events, and lobbying and advocacy.
What's next?
Our member groups play a crucial role in the wellbeing of their participants and communities, as well as being a vital source of income for tens of thousands of professional musicians.
We have been surveying our members throughout the pandemic to understand what the medium- to long-term effects might be. The results will be used by Making Music to provide further targeted resources and training materials to support music groups, as well as informing our lobbying and advocacy on behalf of the leisure-time music sector.
Download the full survey results
Access our coronavirus resources for music groups
