New Zealand’s musical artists are being invited to use two prominent platforms to help get through the tough times of
COVID lockdowns, when touring and performing are either banned or heavily restricted. Artists who use the digital music
service Spotify may now add an Artist Fundraising Pick to their page following Spotify’s local partnership with popular
crowdfunding platform Givealittle, powered by Perpetual Guardian.
All New Zealand artists with a Spotify page can now use this new feature, which allows them to choose a fundraising
destination to raise money for themselves, their bands or crews, or a music relief organisation. The Artist Fundraising
Pick feature works like the Artist Pick on the profile page, and makes it easy for fans and supporters to donate
directly to the artist or a cause of their choice that supports music professionals, healthcare workers, or small
businesses affected by COVID-19.
Kiwi soprano Tayla Alexander says the initiative offers a huge boost to artists whose ability to earn a living through
music has been severely affected in 2020.
She says, “Many musical artists and other performers lost income and opportunities in the first lockdown, with the ban
on mass gatherings, and the current restrictions are compounding the effect. Many events have been cancelled through to
the end of 2020. The arts are a tough way to make a living and often underfunded at the best of times, and our community
is grateful for any help Kiwis can give to get us through to the other side, when we can perform safely and freely once
again. I encourage my fellow artists to get behind the Spotify-Givealittle partnership and get back on their feet.”
Mel Steel, General Manager at Givealittle, says, “We are pleased to be partnering with Spotify on this important
initiative. As part of the Perpetual Guardian group, the largest non-Government philanthropic entity by volume,
Givealittle has hosted a number of fundraising programmes over the past few months that have been specifically designed
to combat the effects of COVID restrictions. Many musical artists have seen their livelihoods affected, and we know fans
and audiences want to help – this is a simple way people can locate the Artist Fundraising Pick of artists on Spotify
and provide some assistance that will be gratefully received.”
Monk Party is one Artist Fundraising Pick that is already underway; to date more than $200 has been raised by the
Christchurch father-and-son duo. Monk Party’s Givealittle page says each cent will be used to help projects be lifted
off the ground, from recording to videos, concerts and tours.