A major hotel group has responded after offering local musicians to perform in its venues for food and drink vouchers instead of payment.
As ABC reports, Hurley Hotel Group, which owns pubs and venues throughout Adelaide and New South Wales, emailed "valued soloists and duos" last weeks offering a $100 food and drink voucher for artists who would like to perform, saying it could not offer payment as cashflow is "virtually non-existent" on the back of the COVID pandemic.
After being slammed by many for the offer, including by The Musicians' Union of Australia, Hurley Hotel Group managing director Jenny Hurley issued a statement on the behalf of the company this week.
"... We saw an opportunity to provide a sense of ‘normality’ - a live stage with sound/AV support, playing to small crowd (due to restrictions) and offering live streaming exposure via our hotel online communities," Hurley said.
"Recognising that crowds are currently limited and circumstances will continue to change with Government announcements - we were not in a position to offer usual playing fees but did not expect musicians to play for no reward and so for those who were interested, offering vouchers in return for their time - for those who just wanted to jump on a stage again."
The statement concludes, "The email offering this option was circulated following what was intended as a good faith decision made by Hurley Hotel Group Management. In hindsight, we should not have sent it."
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