A PRS tariff on virtual events grossing less than £500 could make online performances – often raising money for struggling artists and technical staff – ‘grind to a halt’, critics say
Music industry bodies have criticised the Performing Rights Society (PRS) after it instituted a licence fee for ticketed small-scale live-streamed performances that they said will leave some grassroots artists out of pocket.
Paid-entry live-streamed shows have become an essential source of income for many musicians during the coronavirus pandemic, from Laura Marling and Dua Lipa, whose Studio 2054 show in November reportedly drew millions of viewers, to emerging acts playing in struggling venues, as well as a way of raising funds for charity.
