Pandemic may cause third of British musicians to quit

A survey conducted by Musicians' Union has found that one-third of professional musicians are unable to access emergency support, and are consequently considering quitting. It was also revealed that 70% of these musicians are unable to do their usual work, and 87% of musicians who are covered by furlough schemes will may financial problems in October when the schemes are terminated.

Talking to The Guardian, the union’s general secretary Horace Trubridge said '“Musicians are working in supermarkets, being Deliveroo drivers, going back to things they trained for early in life. Anything but music – that’s the problem."

MU has criticised the Treasury for failing to provide economic support for individuals. The £1.57 billion relief package for the arts has done "nothing for the workforce … You need creators to create new art. But you need extremely skilled and talented musicians to deliver that creativity, and those are the people who have been left out of the equation. Those world-leading musicians who have spent all their lives perfecting what they do, there is no lifeline for them whatsoever. There is a lack of understanding of our profession, even within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and no understanding within the Treasury.”