NOK 4.9 billion. – These are frighteningly high numbers, says Silje Hope, vocalist in the rock band Cocktail Slippers. This is the sum that the music industry missed out on in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the corona pandemic. This is revealed in a report from the Culture Council, which provides an overview of turnover in music, performing arts, literature and visual arts in Norway. For the first time, it has been quantified how hard the pandemic hit the cultural industry. Just under half a billion kroner was compensated by the authorities, so the real sum is just over 4 billion kroner. The high sum is nevertheless not surprising, according to several members of the band. – Both organisers, subcontractors and performing musicians have suffered during the pandemic. It has definitely been a difficult few years, says Stine Bendiksen, guitarist in the band. They themselves experienced having to postpone concerts, record releases and US tours due to the pandemic. Unfairly affected The report also shows that the pandemic affected cultural life in an unfair way. The parts of the cultural sector that depend on the public were hit hardest, such as music and the performing arts. Marcus Zackrisson from the Culture Council. Photo: Kulturrådet / Kulturrådet – The music industry was the biggest loser during the pandemic, says Marcus Zackrisson. He is director of the department for cultural analysis in the Norwegian Culture Council. While cultural activities you can do at home, such as reading books or buying art, experienced an increase in income during the pandemic. Acting general manager of Norwegian cultural organizers, Anders Tangen, is not surprised by the figures. – I am not at all. We knew that with the shutdowns during the pandemic that there were significant sums that the industry was missing out on. He says that the pandemic was a demanding time for everyone who worked with culture. The band members in Cocktail Slippers can also relate to this. – It was quite impossible to be a performing musician during the pandemic. It was challenging to get the opportunity to play, and not least financially challenging, says Hope. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC: Cocktail Slippers on stage under normal circumstances in Melodi Grand Prix. Photo: Hege Bakken Riise / news – It felt a bit like life ended when we couldn’t go out and play, it was horrible, says Bendiksen. Competence flight The industry experienced a competence flight in addition to the fact that several had a hard time as a result of the many redundancies along the way. – There have also been tough times for the industry after we opened up that the public doesn’t see. It is difficult to get hold of people, there is a lack of technicians and stage equipment, difficult to get hold of volunteers in addition, then there are smaller financial margins, says Tangen. Acting general manager of Norwegian cultural organizers, Anders Tangen. Photo: Ellen Lorntzen. The Culture Council also says that things are not quite as they were before the pandemic yet, even if the public is slowly but surely coming back. – There has been a smaller audience and a different pattern of how to buy tickets, says Zackrisson. Still repercussions According to Tangen, the density of the number of events is one of the reasons why it is difficult to sell tickets. There are many events, perhaps more than ever. The band members in Cocktail Slippers have also experienced this themselves. They held a concert at the weekend, and still feel that there is less of an audience in the hall now compared to before the pandemic. – All in all, the public has probably become more selective, they probably don’t go out to the same extent as before the pandemic, says Bendiksen. The report also shows that age has something to do with the case. Because it is the youngest and oldest who buy the fewest tickets. – For the elderly, I think it is about the after-effects of the pandemic, that many are still afraid of infection. With the younger ones, it is quite clear because of the economy that not as many can afford to go to events as before the pandemic, says Tangen. The musicians in Cocktail Slippers hope that the public now understands that the music industry has really come back to life. – I wish everyone, especially young people, who have lost many concert experiences over several years, to get to a concert and feel how incredibly much it gives, says Hope.
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The music industry lost billions during the pandemic – news Culture and entertainment
