PR agents are those who work hard behind the scenes. They are the members of the music and cultural industry (but not only, of course) who make sure that the latest releases fall into your mailboxes and that they are reviewed in your favorite newspapers and magazines. They are those who defend tomorrow’s biggest artists by giving them visibility, and yet, in France, they have been ignored by their government during this major and unprecedented health crisis. This is why the union and syndicate APRES was born, and they pointed out, in a press release, what the government has not done.
This press release announces the launch of the union. They’ve compiled a list of what they would like the government to give them in order to be recognized, heard and helped, since they too have suffered and are still experiencing the damages caused by the ongoing crisis. A longer open letter completes this press release, and it justifies their general feeling of bitterness.
Among what they list, we can see that they want the government to revisit the priority order of their “Solidarity Fund” raised for the cultural sector, the recognition of their profession by the National Music Center, the creation of a specific grant & funding program for their profession, and more. More information to find in the press release below.
Press release, November 3rd 2020
Founded by independent PR agents specialized in the music and cultural fields, the APRES union (Attaché-e-s de Presse, Réseau d’Entraide et Syndicat, “Après” meaning “next” in French) was born on October 7, 2020. It aims to gather and defend PR agents in an ecosystem in perpetual (r)evolution. The health crisis and the consequential government decisions have thrown a terrible and unprecedented punch to the entire music industry, leaving no other choice but to reinvent itself to survive. This is how APRES was founded: thinking about what to do next.
In the immediate future, in order to create the best conditions for our profession which has no visibility for the upcoming months, the first changes APRES asks for are :
– the enlargement of the S1 list to include our specific activity in the Solidarity Fund (a specific listing that organizes companies during this crisis, from the most to the least impacted), with retroactivity for the months of July, August, September and October 2020. We also ask for its extension until the end of the health crisis ;
– the creation of a specific aid for our business, regardless of the legal status under which we practice it;
– the recognition of our profession by the National Center of Music, since we are creators as well;
– finally, we ask for our clients to benefit from tax reductions (phonographic and show producers, labels, publishers…) for our interventions, the same way other essential service providers in the music industry benefit from it, and who also contribute to artistic creation, its development and its influence.
The APRES syndicate is on Instagram and on Facebook. We will post their announcements on our Instagram account.
