The first live streamed gigs to directly benefit from the recently announced Live Performance Support Scheme have been announced. Yesterday, Kerry venue Mike The Pies, announced 16 shows and also revealed the first 6 acts to take part.

On November 2nd, Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media announced recipients of the €5 million in funding to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters to plan live performances across the country over the coming months, with a total of 58 organisations benefitting from the scheme.

The main objective of this pilot scheme is to provide employment opportunities to artists in this uncertain time and allow commercial organisers of live performances to commence preparations immediately and productions to go ahead with either a live audience or to share content through streaming.

Recipients of this funding allocation range from small to large venues, producers and promoters and grants range from €10,000 to €400,000.

The funds will support a variety of live events planned including concerts, pantomimes, theatre productions, festivals, outdoor performances and comedy events.

The exceptional demand for this pilot scheme contributed to Minister Martin’s decision to ensure a much larger package would be available to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters next year as part of Budget 2021 funding.

Speaking at the announcement Minister Martin said:

“I am very conscious of the unprecedented nature of the challenge facing the live performance sector, not least from a financial point of view and accordingly I’m very pleased to announce this funding allocation which I’m sure will greatly assist in the employment of performers, artists, technicians, creative and performance support staff across the sector.

“I was also delighted to recently announce €50 million in support for the sector in Budget 2021 – which will encompass a range of supports for live entertainment events to take place in venues next year across the country, and other measures to support music, and a new grant scheme for equipment.

“This scheme, designed after consultation with the sector, helps to de-risk the costs of running productions that may be postponed, cancelled or curtailed due to restrictions to safeguard public health. The live events sector was one of the first to close and I want to ensure that it will be supported and there once again for musicians, artists and performers.”

In all, 58 organisations will receive money from the scheme. These include Aiken Promotions (€400,000), Body & Soul Festival (€100,000), Cherrycool (Castlepalooza) (€200,000), Curve Management Limited  (Indiependence/Music Cork) (€76,000 for performances in Mitchelstown Caves), MPI Bands (€140,000), PPJ Ltd & CWB Ltd (The Trip to Tipp / Feile) (€71,200), Pod Festivals (All Together Now) (€90,000),Ten feet Tall Promotions (Red Bull events) (€100,000),  and The Cat Laugh’s Festival in Kilkenny (€100,000).

Venues awarded included Coughlans Bar, Cork (€38,760), Crane Lane in Cork (€48,640), Dolan’s, Limerick (€57,760), Ehawa Ltd (The Good Room promotions/ The Kino, Cork city) (€48,640) Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney (€400,000),Levis Corner House in Ballydehob (€38,760), Langton Hotel (The Set Theatre, Kilkenny) (€57,760), Olympia Theatre, Dublin (€300,000), Noyfield Limited (Lost Lane, Dublin) (€57,760), Róisín Dubh, Galway (€57,760), Spirit Store, Louth (€48,640), Seclusion Properties (Cyprus Avenue, Cork City) (€100,000), The Sound House, Limited (The Sugar Club,Dublin (€48,640), The Grand Social, Dublin (€57,760), The Workman’s Club, Dublin (€57,760), and Whelans (€140,000). The band The Academic were awarded €35,000 for “live performances in Mullingar”.

On their Facebook page Mike the Pies announced they will be hosting 16 live streamed gigs. They wrote: “Delighted to announce that thanks to grant funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media we will be Streaming 16 Live gigs from Mike the Pies between now and Christmas on our Facebook page. Emma Langford will start these gigs this Saturday at 8pm and over the next 2 weeks we have David Kitt, Cathal Flaherty, ORACLE, Jack O’Rourke and MELTS. Thanks to Live Venue Collective for all the help. Hope you can tune in as we do our bit to get the music industry working again.”