Last month the Live Comedy Association released a survey which found that 50% of all workers in the comedy industry had lost over half of their annual income, and 81% had reported that their mental health had been negatively impacted by job and industry uncertainty during the pandemic. 

In response to these gloomy findings, April saw the Live Comedy Association working with NextUp, the comedy streaming platform, and headache relief brand Panadol to launch a Crowdfunder to raise money for the #SaveLiveComedy Fund. The fund was established to provide hardship grants to those within the live comedy industry who are most in need.

So far the fund has raised over £ 77,000. As it goes into its final push before closing on the 4th June, the fund has set a new stretch target of £100,000 – enough to provide 200 grants across the industry.

Keen to help those in the comedy industry as quickly as possible, 30 grants have already been distributed in the first round of the Fund . A Second Round of applications is open now https://www.savelivecomedy.co.uk/apply-to-the-fund t o all those across live comedy with applications closing on the 4th June. With over £77,000 already raise d the LCA and NextUp have expanded the eligibility criteria, meaning that even more people from across the comedy industry can apply for the Fund.

Daniel Berg from NextUp said – “in the midst of hearing so many tales of hardship, it’s been a real beacon of light to be able to work with the LCA to distribute these grants. I was told by one recipient that £500 was the exact amount he needed to be able to pay his rent last month. It literally kept the wolf from the door whilst he was waiting to be paid from a couple of freelance jobs – it has felt so positive to be able to be involved in making that kind of positive impact.”

As the UK slowly begins to reopen and people begin to try to return to their previous lives, the comedy industry and those that work in it are still in desperate need of help. With venues across the country only able to open with less than 50% capacity and only one comedy club open in Scotland, acts and those working offstage still have far fewer gigs in the diary and fees have been reduced . With further uncertainty over the next stage of the government’s roadmap , the #SaveLiveComedy F und is needed as much as ever.

Pax Lowey, Chair of the LCA says: “We are so delighted to have been able to raise over £77,000 so far, and so incredibly thankful to Panadol and those who have donated and made these   grants possible. Now we’re making one last plea for those who can afford to, to dig deep and help us hit the £100k mark – so that we can help more people stay in their profession and be a part of the UK ’ s world-leading comedy industry for years to come.”