LIVE2020, the solidarity fund that was put on to support the struggling Belgian music sector during the pandemic, is putting up €200,000 to support Belgian bands on their national tours.
During the pandemic, Covid-19 ravaged Belgian's cultural sector, as the lockdown went on, more governmental measures were met with various protests and defiance as certain cinemas chose to remain open.
Belgium's music scene in particular was left on its knees, as Covid-19 greatly reduced their ticket sales and they are now once again facing difficulties due to the ongoing energy crisis.
Furthermore, music venues are still a long way from filling their pre-pandemic levels, because of soaring energy bills, wage indexation and inflation, meaning that fewer Belgian artists are being programmed to play in front of their home crowd.
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As a result, LIVE2020 has decided to release a €200,000 budget aimed at supporting Belgian musicians on national tours for them to perform in the best possible conditions.
LIVE2020 will thus reimburse 75% of concert costs (up to €3,000) for bands with at least five confirmed dates in the country between September 2022 and the end of June 2023.
All applications must be submitted by 17 October and will be then further evaluated by an independent jury, alongside the King Baudouin Foundation.
A detailed overview of the selection criteria and the application form can be found on the King Baudouin Foundation's website.
