The music industry loses 7.2 billion on corona restrictions

- We will lose SEK 7.2 billion in lost revenue and the situation is very serious, says Alfons Karabuda, chairman of SKAP and Musiksverige to SVT Nyheter. 

In the last ten years, the Swedish music industry has grown, in 2019 it had sales of SEK 12.2 billion.

Concert revenues then accounted for 56 percent of total revenues.

But this year, all canceled events have meant that several smaller companies risk going bankrupt due to audience restrictions and that they have not been able to carry out stage shows, performances and concerts as planned. 

"Music wonder" threatened

- The Swedish "music miracle" comes from a wide range.

That breadth is now threatened and thus the future of Swedish music is also threatened, says Alfons Karabuda and continues:

- Most musicians, composers and others in the industry do not just survive on working in culture - they often have other jobs to manage financially.

It is these less established ones who are eliminated first.

The music club Debaser in Stockholm has canceled about a hundred gigs this year.

A hard blow to one of the few actors who invest in performances.

- We have had a business ban since mid-March and were forced to lay off all our staff.

But since we also have a serving permit in our restaurant section, we have been able to re-employ some of them on seasonal employment.

But none of those who normally work on stage are back.

So there are many stage workers who are unemployed, says Debaser's CEO Annelie Telford.

Number of controls - not congestion

Organizers in both culture and sports realize that the most important thing in society right now is not to pass on the corona infection.

But many do not understand the audience restrictions that have been introduced.

Whether you can take 50, 300 or 3000 people in one and the same room should probably depend on the size of the arena.

But now the same rules apply to everyone, regardless of size. 

- At Tele 2 arena, which seats 30,000 spectators, you would not even discover 300-500 spectators, says Mats Enqvist, general secretary of Swedish Elite Football.