If musicians are the sole focus of a commercial event, those performers should be paid for their efforts.
That’s the key argument from local musician Kristopher Marentette who set up an online petition in response to the Town of Essex seeking unpaid performers for their annual summer concert series.
“This is a skilled trade. It requires years of dedication and practice. It requires thousands of dollars in equipment, not unlike minor hockey, a carpenter or mechanic,” said Marentette.
The Town of Essex recently posted a call for performers to participate in the Tune Up The Parks concert series for 2024. The registration form makes clear that “similar to an ‘open mic’ night, performers are not paid.”
For Marentette, along with more than 100 people who have signed his petition, the Town of Essex should provide some sort of compensation to performers.
“The reason for this festival is the music,” he said. “Everybody seems to be onboard …