The devastating effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic are definitely taking their toll across the Canadian music industry. Closed venues, canceled music festivals, and the postponement of major tours have left everyone who relies on live music for their income out of work and in need of relief.
The Unison Benevolent Fund is leading the charge in making sure music professionals in need are supported through the duration of the pandemic shut down and is launching #WithoutMusic, a collaborative social media campaign to bring music industry professionals and fans alike into a conversation of the shared positive and lasting impact of music.
The Unison Benevolent Fund provides discreet relief to music industry professionals in times of crisis through financial assistance and counseling and health solutions; and since the beginning of the outbreak, the Unison Benevolent Fund has seen an increase of 3500% per week from music industry professionals needing assistance. Any donations to the Unison Benevolent Fund during the #WithoutMusic campaign will be matched by Spotify as part of the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief Project, which was created to amplify the efforts of organizations that focus on helping those most in need, like the Unison Benevolent Fund. Spotify will match donations made to Unison dollar for dollar up to a collective total of $10 million USD.
#WithoutMusic strives to broaden the overall awareness of the Unison Benevolent Fund and encourage those who can to donate and for those in need to apply, all while. Participants can voice their thoughts and experiences and empower others to do so by sharing the graphic, photos, videos, and stories on social media using the #WithoutMusic hashtag and tagging @UnisonFund. To donate to the Unison Benevolent Fund, or to find a list of resources for music industry professionals seeking COVID-19 assistance, please visit unisonfund.ca/.
Born and raised with thoughts and aspirations of becoming a famous bassist in Sarnia, ON; Emily Plunkett now lives in Gatineau, QC, and considers National Capital Region home sweet home. A product of the Beatles, MuchMusic and the Southwestern Ontario summer festival circuit (circa 2000), her interest and love in concert photography came almost completely by accident when her journalism program at Algonquin College required courses in photojournalism (and she quickly realized that photos taken at concerts using a DSLR are enormously better than ones she was taking on a point-and-shoot she bought for a trip to England). She is extremely proud of the fact she has seen Sloan in some form or another 25 times.
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