BR KLASSIK interviews President and Founder Charlotte Lee on the state of the arts industry
A ghost light at an empty theater (Photo credit: Mark Gambino for Arts Centre Melbourne)
Are Artist Agencies around the world facing the end?
By Antonia Morin
BR Klassik
September 10, 2020
The USA is particularly hard hit by the Covid 19 pandemic in terms of infection and death rates. Cultural life is lying idle, which is why one of the most important artist agencies in the USA, Columbia Artist Management, went bankrupt last week. Will other artist agencies soon follow suit and have to close down in rows? And what is the situation around the world? In Asia and Australia there have been almost no concerts and cultural events for months.
Culture Industry in the pandemic
Are artist agencies around the world facing the end?
“It's the worst nightmare we can imagine.”
Charlotte Lee is pessimistic about the future. Her New York artist agency, Primo Artists, has had no income for six months. The bankruptcy of Columbia Artists has demoralized their industry, Lee told BR-KLASSIK. "It shows what is in store for us in the next few months."
Private savings to survive
Virtually all concert halls and opera houses in the US are closed, artists cannot perform, so there is no commission for Charlotte Lee and her team. She is currently keeping the company afloat with her private savings. But in three months, it will also have to close if it continues like this.
“If the government does nothing, many cultural institutions and artist agencies will not survive this year.”
Short-time work in Germany
The situation is different in Germany. Sabine Frank, Managing Director of the Harrison Parrott agency in Munich, is watching developments in the USA with concern. Fortunately, she was able to apply for short-time working for her employees. A "small and economical blanket" that has actually been used. The directors of Harrison Parrott already decided in March a voluntary salary reduction of 25 percent by the end of the year, says the manager.
“We are slowly reducing short-time work again and employees are gradually returning to full-time.”
This is also urgently needed, because there is more to be done for Harrison Parrott than before Corona, says Sabine Frank. If concerts have to be canceled or postponed, new contracts are due every time. And since the agency represents its artists worldwide, completely new logistical challenges are facing the team. "What are the rules in which country? Who is allowed to enter Norway? Who has to be in quarantine when they return from Paris?" Complicated questions because the situation changes daily. And then every artist, every musician has to submit a negative Covid-19 test, which must not be older than 48 hours, before traveling to an engagement.
The situation in Australia
The effects of the pandemic are also troubling artist agent Patrick Togher in Australia. Actually, theaters and opera houses should have opened their halls in autumn. But then the number of infections rose again in Melbourne and Sydney. The Sydney Opera House is expected to remain closed until January. Melbourne is isolated, New Zealand's borders are tight. Patrick Togher cannot convey his artists. He and his employees are dependent on government support, they have 97 percent less income. Patrick Togher is confident that his agency will make it. Even if he suspects that the borders with Europe and the USA will probably remain closed for a while.
Government support in Japan
Closed borders, artists who are not allowed to enter - Jun-ichi Nihei from Japan Arts knows the problem. In November, his agency looked after the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra during a guest performance in Japan. Looking after international artists makes up the largest part of his income, says Jun-ichi Nihei. He too receives state support. Concert life in Japan is slowly awakening again. Jun-ichi Nihei observes that the audience is very insecure.
“If half of the seats in a hall are allowed to be occupied, only thirty percent of the visitors come.”
PAMAC Association founded
Back to New York. Financial state support for artist agencies - Charlotte Lee also wants to achieve the survival of her colleagues in Germany, Australia and Japan in the USA. That is why she founded the association PAMAC: Performing Arts Managers and Agents Coalition. Virtually all agencies in the US have joined. You have written hundreds of letters to congressmen and leaders, Lee says, "to make them aware of how disproportionately the industry has been hit by the pandemic."
“We would like them to provide us with funding so that we can continue to exist.”
Congress intends to vote on a new economic program this month. Charlotte Lee hopes her industry will be considered there. Because with the upcoming presidential elections in November, their demands will probably go under.
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