'The Tours That Never Were' fundraiser created to benefit artists and crews affected by coronavirus

A fundraiser dubbed ‘The Tours That Never Were’ has been created to help raise money for artists and crews affected by the coronavirus.

• Read more: “It’s a bizarre spot for everyone to be in”: how you can help musicians whose income is in peril thanks to coronavirus

Set up to benefit independent and underground UK-based bands and crews, and also various charities, the fundraiser was put together by PR agency Good As Gold.

Together with Awesome Merchandise and Aled Phillips, Good As Gold created a range of merchandise to sell featuring the names of bands and artists who had to cancel or reschedule shows between March and May 2020 due to the COIVD-19 pandemic.

All profits from the merchandise sold will go directly to the artists affected to distribute amongst their crews.

Any artists or bands who note that they have faced minimal financial hardship as a result of cancelled gigs and festivals can opt to donate their split of the proceeds to any charities of their choice.

Bands and artists included in the merchandise’s design include Dinosaur Pile Up, False Heads, Gender Roles, Lizzy Farrall, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Polar, Sugar Horse, and more.

See the full list here.

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As we all know, COVID-19 has resulted in many of the UK's most hard-working underground touring acts being forced to cancel or reschedule tours – resulting in loss of income, and other financial losses due to non-refundable bookings and other expenses. Each tour cancellation also represents any number of Tour Managers, Sound & Lighting Engineers, Stage Techs and Drivers left without any income for the foreseeable future. In response to this, a group of us have created 'The Tours That Never Were' – a non-profit fundraiser to benefit independent and underground UK-based bands and crew, and various charities.​​ We have partnered with Awesome Merchandise and Aled Philips (Deputy Art Director at Kerrang! Magazine) to create a range of products featuring bands and artists who have had to cancel or reschedule shows between March and May 2020. ​ Bands / Acts included in the design are – AA Williams, Black Peaks, Cassels, Conjurer, Cruelty, Cultdreams, Delta Sleep, Dinosaur Pile Up, Dream Nails, Employed to Serve, Haggard Cat, Holding Absence, False Heads, Gender Roles, Ithaca, John, Lizzy Farrall, Nordic Giants, Orchards, Palm Reader, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Polar, The St Pierre Snake Invasion, Sugar Horse, We Never Learned to Live. All profits from the sale of the items will be split equally between the artists signed upto use as they see fit. Whilst reaching out to artists to be included in this fundraiser, a number of the bands / acts noted that they will opt to donate their split of the proceeds to charities of their choice (including NHS Together, @musicvenuetrust and domestic abuse charities to name a few).

A post shared by Good As Gold Group (@goodasgoldgroupuk) on Apr 29, 2020 at 4:21am PDT

“COVID-19 has resulted in many of the UK’s most hard-working underground touring acts being forced to cancel or reschedule tours – resulting in loss of income, and other financial losses due to non-refundable bookings and other expenses,” a statement from Good As Gold said.

It continued: “Each tour cancellation also represents any number of Tour Managers, Sound & Lighting Engineers, Stage Techs and Drivers left without any income for the foreseeable future.  ​

“In response to this, a group of us have created ‘The Tours That Never Were’ – a non-profit fundraiser to benefit independent and underground UK-based bands and crew, and various charities.​​”

If you would like to donate to the cause without purchasing any merchandise, you can do so on the fundraiser’s official website.

Meanwhile, the government has appointed Neil Mendoza as Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal, with a task force also set up to advise on how UK culture can begin to recover in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The role is intended to provide an expert and independent voice to the government on cultural matters – including how to best support live music venues, theatres, and cinemas affected by lockdown.