June 26, 2020
Musicians given green light by City after
Councilmember Pine holds music industry town hall
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I – On behalf of a grateful music industry, Councilmember Kym Pine thanked the mayor for allowing resumption of live singing and musical performances under conditions providing for artists’ and audience members’ safety.
“We talked about these and other steps in a virtual town hall with a wide range of people in the local music industry and I encouraged them to collaborate and create a plan with a unified voice, like the salon and tattoo industries, that I also supported,” said Councilmember Pine. “These talented artists provide the soundtracks for our lives and we treasure their contribution to our local culture.”
Panelists for the virtual town hall were local music leaders and celebrities including Amy Hanai‘ali‘i Gilliom, an entertainer who is also president of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Artists; Hawai‘i Theatre Center President and CEO Gregory Dunn; Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Dave Moss; Matty Hazelgrove, president of BAMP Project and co-owner of The Republik and more.
“Councilmember Pine led a productive conversation and we talked about several ways to keep audience members safe while we get back to work,” said Gilliom. “Many musicians, hula dancers, sound and lighting technicians and others don’t qualify for traditional assistance and HARA is helping eligible members in every way we can.”
“The nonprofit Hawai‘i Theatre Center has been closed since February 2020 and we were forced to cancel or reschedule more than 70 performances resulting in more than $5 million in lost revenue,” said Gregory Dunn, president and CEO. “We look forward to working with Councilmember Pine, other City and State officials and industry members to get everyone safely back to work.”
“The wellbeing, health and financial security of the 84 musicians of the HSO is what keeps me up at night. It was encouraging to see that the amended order includes allowances for outdoor and indoor performances,” said Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Dave Moss. “We look forward to further collaboration on these policies and I’m confident that we can find a safe path for our musicians and audience to return to our venues.”
Hazelgrove notes that dancing still is not allowed in the amended order but says, “I think that a blanket ‘no dancing’ provision could be replaced potentially with the suggestion that groups of 10, separated by at least 6 feet from other groups of 10, could be allowed to dance within their grouping.” He has a proposed grid system for the large dance floor at The Republik to enable reopening to the public.
Councilmember Pine will continue her work with the local entertainment industry to ensure the safety of performers and the public as the kama‘aina and broader economy moves toward recovery.
CM Pine’s entertainment industry virtual town hall: https://youtu.be/nQ_iu3vC9-c?t=48
Link to the order:
http://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/may/may_docs/Emergency_Order_No._2020-16.pdf
Councilmember Kym Pine represents residents of District One (ʻEwa, ʻEwa Beach, Kapolei, Honokai Hale, Ko ʻOlina, Nānākuli, Mā‘ili, Wai‘anae, Mākaha, Kea‘au, Mākua) and is chair of the City Council’s Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism.
Media contact:
Erika Engle
Communications Director
erika [dot] engle honolulu [dot] gov
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