Sheffield music scene: Exploiting or the Cost of Exposure?

Famously known as the city that brought us Pulp, Arctic Monkeys and Def Leppard, to name but a few, it would be easy to boast about the wonderful music scene we have here in Sheffield.

However, over the past 10 years there have been few rises and many falls within the scene. Multiple music venues have closed down and the general 'lack of money' within society doesn't help. But one thing that has altered massively is musicians' pay.

Is it really fair that musicians should work for a 4:1 split on ticket sales? Understandably, venues need to make money and as with anything there is cost involved. But is it about time a musician is treated as someone carrying out a job and not someone fulfilling a hobby?

Local musician Rosie Harrison who has been playing in Sheffield for several years said, "It isn't appealing playing for either nothing or a pint, but we don't really have any other options. You can't just walk into the scene and turn down every gig because you want more money. You have to play them to get a following, only then can you start to look at making money from performing. It's hard, but it's just how it is."

However some people within the scene believe there's no exploitation at all. If the musician doesn't like the pay they don't have to play.

Sheffield promoter Neil Atkinson says, "Musicians agree to something then dislike what they've agreed to. It's not exploitation it's just being naive. It is good to experience these things as it's not plain sailing in the industry."

Musician and promoter Jonjo Keen tries to offer musicians a fifty-fifty split. "I don't think many other promoters do that. But I like to give bands the opportunity to earn good money and be paid fairly."

However, Andy Tattersall a contributor to the music scene says the question should be asked about all musicians in the UK. "The whole industry is in a bad way. Where does all the money go?"

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