LIVE DMA SURVEY 2015 © Amélie Grosselin
LINKING INITIATIVES AND VENUES IN EUROPE AND DEVELOPING MUSICAL ACTIONS
OUR VALUES LINKING INITIATIVES AND VENUES IN EUROPE - DEVELOPING MUSICAL ACTIONS LIVE DMA is a European network for music venues and festivals which believes that popular and alternative music venues and festivals contribute to the development of our societies. LIVE DMA is a work-in-progress process. We want to be active, to defend collectively the importance of live & practices music venues acting in the general interest along with public policies deals. We and the venues we represent, are deeply involved in the active sustain of artistic discovery, emergence and innovation, then working for cultural diversity and social impacts of the venues.
DIVERSITYDEVELOPMENT ART DMA SOCIAL MIXED IMPACT
LIVE
NON-PROFIT ECONOMY Marie Monteiro
TALENT
EXCHANGE
The venues and festivals are major contributors to the dynamic of artistic renewal on local, regional, national or international scales. www.live-dma.eu
MUSIC
- S PA I N -
- B ELG I UM ( W L) -
- DENMARK -
- B ELG I UM ( F L) -
- FR ANCE -
- NE THERL ANDS -
CAUTION! This survey presents and analyses the data collected in 2013. Until now, it only concerns the venues and not the festivals. However, many venues also organise their own festivals and do not necessarily separate their results for the collect. The collecting capacity between the organisations is unequal. Some representative organisations have been using data collects for many years to gather information in their country by having survey experts in their teams, appropriate collecting tools and venues members who are familiar with the process. However, other countries and representative organisations are beginning with the Survey method and their members can be reluctant regarding the use of the data they communicate. The Survey needs time to establish trust among Live DMA members, although the use of the data is anonymous.
- N O R W AY -
Š LIVE DMA - 2015
ABOUT THE STUDY Since 2011, Live DMA has been collecting data to represent the venues on a European level and compare them on different scales. The survey measures the venues activities and visits, employment and finances. This process will be repeated every year so we can draw trends and development out. Live DMA gathers more than 1100 music venues in 8 European countries, through 10 representative organisations. For the Survey, 6 countries participated in the collect, so that involved 612 venues with an answers rate of 49%. • ACCES (Spain - excl. Catalonia) • Club Circuit (Belgium - WL) • Club Plasma (Belgium - FL) • Dansk Live (Denmark) • FEDELIMA (France) • Norske Konsertarrangører (Norway) • VNPF (Netherlands) All the participating organisations have named a survey coordinator in their teams. These coordinators meet twice a year to discuss about their main issues and share the decisions which shape the survey each year.
612 venues surveyed - 301 responses
612 v e n u e s ( t o t a l s a m p l e o f t h e s u r v e y ) h a v e b e e n s u r v e y e d f o r 2 0 13 . 3 0 1 v e n u e s r e s p o n d e d ( p a r t i c i p a t i o n r a t e : 4 9 %) .
VENUES CAPACITIES
Live DMA represents mostly small and medium sized music venues. Almost half of the venues featured in this study range in size from 50 capacity to 400. These small and medium sized venues are very important in the music sector because this is where upcoming artists start their carreers. They are stages for musical expression and diversity, working with both amateurs or professionals musicians. A diversed artistic circulation is only possible with the existence of these small and medium sized venues & festivals.
The “maximum audience capacit y â€? of a venue represent s all the halls added up that can be used simultaneously (for example, main hall + c l u b +‌) , o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h t h e w h o l e c o n c e r t v e n u e c a n b e s e e n a s s o l d o u t .
MEDIAN CAPACITIES OF THE VENUES
I n B e l g i u m , a m o n g 14 v e n u e s , t h e m e d i a n c a p a c i t y o f t h e v e n u e s i s 6 0 0 . T he median is the number separating the higher half of a dat a s ample from the lower half, which means that 7 venues have a c apaci t y big ger than 600 and 7 venues have a capacit y smaller than 600.
MEDIAN CAPACITY OF THE VENUES
The median is the number separating the higher half of a data sample from the lower half. When the average is higher than the median, it means that there are a very few venues with a big capacity, pulling the number up. There is a big diversity in the venues size. Capacity ranges from small (50 persons minimum) to exceptionally big venues with multiple halls (8850 persons maximum).
In Belgium (FL) the median capacit y of the venues is 600. T he median is the number separating the higher half of a dat a s ample from the lower half, which means that there is as many venues b i g g e r t h a n 6 0 0 c a p a c i t y i n B e l g i u m F L , a s v e n u e s s m a l l e r t h a n 6 0 0 c a p a c i t y.
MUSIC AUDIENCE
The music venues included in this survey are also social places where people can meet and enjoy free time in a safe area all year long. They are set so they can be easily identified and be part of the population’s customs. Average visitors per venue per year: 22998 Average visitors per concert: 200
P a i d e n t r a n c e ( 7 5 %) : C o n c e r n s t h e a u d i e n c e t h a t p a y a n e n t r a n c e f e e F r e e e n t r a n c e (15 %) : C o n c e r n s t h e a u d i e n c e t h a t a t t e n d a f r e e - a d m i s s i o n a c t i v i t y F r e e v i s i t s f o r p a i d e n t r a n c e a c t i v i t y (10 % ) : C o n c e r n s t h e a u d i e n c e t h a t a t t e n d a p a i d a c t i v i t y f o r f r e e ( g u e s t l i s t ; p r e s s e t c .)
MUSIC ACTIVITIES PER VENUE S O R T E D B Y C A PA C I T Y R A N G E
Activities in the music venues range from purely music programme (concerts and club nights) to additional activities like education, cinema, theatre, rehearsal rooms, cafe/restaurants, which are not yet included this survey. - Average music activities per venue: 101 (the biggest venue organizes 968 activities each year) - Average artist performances per venue: 219
An ac tivit y is being def ined as a public accessible program that has a separate entrance fee. For example, a concer t night with a suppor t ac t is one ac tivit y with t wo per formances, accessible with one ticket.
MUSIC ACTIVITIES PER VENUE (paid entrance) S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
The average number of music ac tivities per venues (for each net work) has a big dif ference, par tly caused by dif ferences in average venue capacities.
EMPLOYMENT Employ ment – L i ve DM A’s memb er s
Employ ment F T E – L i ve DM A’s memb er s
Paid per sons: Includes all paid employees , including on pay roll, hired s t af f, subsidised employees , freelancer s , etc. F T E : S t a n d s f o r F u l l T i m e E q u i v a l e n t . A s t a f f m e m b e r w i t h a w o r k w e e k o f 4 0 h o u r s e q u a l s 1, 0 F T E ( 4 0 /4 0 =1, 0 ) . A s t a f f m e m b e r w i t h a w o r k o f 3 2 h o u r s e q u a l s 0 , 8 F T E ( 3 2 /4 0 = 0 , 8 ) . Others: Mainly includes interns or trainees who are neither consider as paid persons nor as volunteers.
EMPLOYMENT FTE S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
Volunteer’s activity depends on the different legislations, on the venues’ management and on the cultural habits in Europe. In several countries, voluntary work is strictely supervised. I n t o t a l , a m o n g L i v e D M A ’ s n e t w o r k , 7 0 % o f F T E e m p l o y e e s a r e p a i d , a n d 5 % a r e c o n s i d e r e d a s “ o t h e r s ” (m a i n l y i n t e r n s o r t r a i n e e s)
EMPLOYMENT FTE S O R T E D B Y R A N G E C A PA C I T Y
I n s m a l l v e n u e s ( 0 -3 9 9 ) , 6 7 % p e o p l e w o r k i n g i n t h e v e n u e s a r e p a i d e m p l o y e e s , 2 9 % a r e v o l u n t e e r s a n d 4 % a r e o t h e r s .
FTE EMPLOYEES / FTE VOLUNTEERS S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
F T E EMPLOY EE S PER V ENUE
F T E VOLUN T EER S PER V ENUE
Af ter conver ting the previous percentages into whole numbers, a big diversit y appears in the average number of F TE employees accordi n g t o e a c h v e n u e s , r a n g i n g f r o m 2 6 p e r s o n s ( V N P F - N e t h e r l a n d s) t o 2 p e r s o n s ( A CC E S – S p a i n) .
INCOME - Live DMA’s members
O n a v e r a g e , L i v e D M A ’ s m e m b e r s t o t a l i n c o m e s a r e s h a r e d b e t w e e n s u b s i d i e s ( 4 2 %) , t i c k e t s s a l e s ( 3 2 %) a n d o t h e r i n c o m e s ( 2 6 %) . Others incomes: can include bar and catering , but also sponsorship and rentals. T icket sales: Do not include other and indirec t programme -related revenues (such as cloak room fees or merchandising ). T hese revenues a r e a l s o c o n s i d e r e d a s “ o t h e r i n c o m e s ”.
INCOME - Per venue S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
INCOME - Per range capacity
The bigger the venue, the higher the ticket sales as part of the total income (1/3 of the total income for the venues over 1000 capacity).
An ac tivit y is being def ined as a public accessible programme that has a separate entrance fee. For example a concer t night with a suppor t ac t is one ac tivit y with t wo per formances, accessible with one ticket.
SUBSIDY OF TOTAL INCOME PER VENUE (%) S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
The proportion of subsidy varies depending on the cultural policies of governements per region or country. The management of the venues are very diverse ranging from totally private to public venues. The amount of subsidy also varies according to the kind and the diversity of activities that the venues offer. Indeed, subsidies are not necessarily dedicated to purely artistic programmes but can also be granted as part of subsidised jobs sometimes devoted to educational activities.
PART OF THE DIRECT PROGRAMME COSTS IN THE TOTAL EXPENSES Direct programme costs represent approximately one third (34%) of Live DMA’s venues total expenses. They are considered as all programme costs directly related to artists, such as wages, copyright organisations rights, artists catering, sets, accommodation and booking fees. Advertising costs are not included.
An ac tivit y is being def ined as a public accessible program that has a separate entrance fee. For example a concer t night with a suppor t ac t is one ac tivit y with t wo per formances, accessible with one ticket.
PROGRAMME COSTS / TICKET INCOME S O R T ED B Y CO UN T R Y
98%
143%
236%
132%
111%
77%
58%
134%
Most venues spend more money on programme costs than they earn from ticket sales. Bar income and subsidy are therefore essential to realise the current programme of music venues.
The amount of programme cos t s compared to the income of ticket sales. The percentage is the total amount of programme cos t s divided by the total amount of ticket sales
HOW MUCH DOES TICKET SALES COVER DIRECT PROGRAMME COSTS? SMALL VENUES (0 - 4 0 0)
MEDIUM V ENUE S (4 0 0 -9 9 9
The bigger the venue, the higher the percentage of programme costs is covered. Bar income and subsidy are therefore essential to realise the current programme of music venues, especially for smaller venues.
B I G V E N U E S (+10 0 0 )
The amount of programme cos t s compared to the income of ticket sales. The percentage is the total amount of ticket sales divided by the total amount of programme cos t s.
ESTIMATION BASED ON THE SURVEY’S RESULTS
The data presented previously was based on 301 venues (i.e. 27% of Live DMA’s venues). From these results we can estimate the total figures of 1108 venues. The main objective in the upcoming years is to collect data for more venues by developing the method with all our members. Our goal is also to include festivals in the near future to be even more representative of our network.
ESTIMATION FOR ALL LIVE DMA VENUES 110 8 V E N U E S
T h e d a t a p r e s e n t e d p r e v i o u s l y w a s b a s e d o n 3 0 1 v e n u e s ( i . e . 2 7 % L i v e D M A ’ s v e n u e s) . F r o m t h e s e r e s u l t s w e c a n e s t i m a t e t h e t o t a l f i g u r e s o f 110 8 v e n u e s .
CONTACTS
Survey coordinators Elda Gomez - ACCES elda.gomez@salasdeconciertos.com www.salasdeconciertos.com
Jakob Brixvold - Dansk Live jakob@dansklive.dk www.dansklive.dk
Hyacinthe Chataigné - FEDELIMA hyacinthe.chataigne@fedelima.org www.fedelima.org
Marc Steens - Club Circuit marc@clubcircuit.be www.clubcircuit.be David Dehard - Club Plasma david@courtcircuit.be www.clubplasma.be Arne Dee - VNPF arne@vnpf.nl www.vnpf.nl
www.live-dma.eu www.facebook.com/LiveDMAnetwork www.twitter.com/livedma
Andreas Feen Sørensen & Anders Tangen - NKA andreas@konsertarrangor.no anders@konsertarrangor.no www.konsertarrangor.no © Live DMA - 2015
LIVE DMA LINKING INITIATIVES AND VENUES IN EUROPE - DEVELOPING MUSICAL ACTIONS
© Marie Monteiro