Livestreamed event 3 For The Stream, organised in the wake of the cancellation of the SXSW industry conference to still showcase Australian artists who were meant to be taking part - including Alex The Astronaut, Alice Skye, Cable Ties, Carla Geneve and Didirri - has itself been been forced not to proceed.
The decision by organisers Sounds Australia comes in the wake of a state of emergency being declared in Victoria.
"This morning, Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of emergency for Victoria, therefore we have decided that it would be irresponsible to proceed with our planned 3 For The Stream event in Melbourne this Friday, at a time when authorities are stressing the need for social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus," a statement issued today by Sounds Australia reads.
"Last Monday we began to devise a contingency plan for the Australian artists set to showcase at SXSW 2020. What we came up with was 3 For The Stream: 3-song sets from 19 of those artists, filmed across multiple stages at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne. At the time, this felt like the best way we could support those artists and their teams, who had invested thousands of dollars into an event that was no longer happening, as well as promote their music to an international audience of music industry buyers and potential new fans.
"The enthusiasm of the multiple partners for our event - Art Series Hotel by Accor, Bakehouse Studios, Comes With Fries, Facebook, SXSW, TAG and Young Henry’s – demonstrates how much support there is for these artists in incredibly challenging times.
"However, a week is a long time in this environment, and the mood has greatly shifted as the impact of COVID-19 starts to worsen in many parts of the world. The decision to cancel 3 For The Stream was not taken lightly. Now is not the time for an event that will bring people into close proximity.
"We need to work together to flatten the curve, to protect those who are most vulnerable to this virus. Everyone must do what needs to be done to ensure the impact of the coronavirus is limited as much as possible."
SXSW 2020 was called off earlier this month in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
For more information about how COVID-19 is impacting the music industry, follow the link here.
Alice Skye | Alex The Astronaut | Cable Ties | Carla Geneve | Didirri
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