The National Union of Musicians of Greece has called all musicians to participate in a musical protest on May 21^st. With this protest the musicians express their solidarity to the workers of the frontline in the fight against Covid19, but also demand the Greek Government to support the artists and musicians, who during the pandemic have been unemployed, without financial support or income. Send your music video of solidarity by May 21 to

[email protected]

National Union of Musicians of Greece

May 21^st We Fill the Neighbourhoods with Music

“The chain is growing – Become a link too”

“I hate a song that makes you think you’re useless.

I hate a song that makes you think           

you’re just born to lose.

Doomed to lose.

That you are useless to everyone, to anything.

Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too thin,

too ugly or too much of…the one thing or the other.

Songs that humiliate you or make fun of you for your luck.

I am out on the street to fight against these songs

until my last breath and the last drop of my blood.

I’m out on the street to sing songs

that will prove to you that this is your world

and that even if it has treated you harshly

and it has knocked you down a dozen times,

no matter what colour you are, no matter what kind of person you are.

I am out on the street to sing songs

that will make you feel proud of who you are and of what you do.

The songs I write

are made for all the people who are like you. “

14^thJuly 1912: Oklahoma. From a poor, rural family, Woody Guthrie is born. Musician, songwriter, artist, militant, troubadour of the people’s struggles. It is a link in the chain of the history of world culture.

20^thMarch 2020: Sweden. A support package for culture ispassed. € 28,000,000 to artists – € 47,000,000 aspalliatives measures to major theatres.

23^rdMarch 2020: Germany. The government is announcing a € 50 billion package to support small and medium-sized enterprises. To the working artists there is a € 500 lump sum for 3 months.

6^thApril 2020: Spain. The Ministry of Culture has launched more than € 40 million grants for the arts. Only a small amount of them are intended for support measures to working artists.

25^thApril 2020: Rome. People sing Bella Ciaofrom their balconies. The government passes a 600€ grant for artists. The majority of them don’t receive it.

7^thMay 2020: Syntagma square, Athens. Thousands of workers of the sector of culture in a moving protest. They demand support measures for all workers in the sector.

To date: In all European countries, governments put our survival and dignity in the balance with the profits of their investment programs. The vast majority of artists without substantial support measures.

We keep on…

21^st May 2020: Athens. The sun is setting. The chain is growing. Music cores are born and fill the city with music. Jazz meets the classic music, rebetiko converses with hip-hop, folk tradition with avant-garde. Jazz trio, folk groups, room ensembles, bands…They are all united under the call of the National Unions of Musicians of Greece. Today we are playing for another purpose. Today we are playing to unite our voice with all the workers of this country. With all those facing the consequences of the new crisis.

…a few minutes later: On the pedestrian street of DionysiouAreopagitou Street, the first musicians arrive. – “We demand substantial support measures! We demand that we be able to make a living from our art!”

… at the same time: In the neighbourhoods of Kaisarianiregion, the employee of a supermarket listens to the melodies of a guitar. – “You are the link in the chain!”

… earlier in the day: Outside Evangelismos Hospital, the nurse, who has just finished her 24-hour shift, looks up and sees 6 young musicians singing. – “Today we communicate our demands to all workers. We ask for your support! We show our solidarity in your struggle! We are links in the same chain!”

… it’s almost getting dark: At NeosKosmosneighbourhood, the girl who has just finished her shift from a call center company meets a band that crosses the street. – “Our song today is for all people who are like you!”

On Thursday, 21^st May, we fill the neighbourhoods with music. From the Acropolis to the White Tower in Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Piraeus, Heraklion and Patras. We invite all colleagues – individual musicians and bands – to participate! We are growing the chain! We are growing its links so that all workers can hear us. Today we sing for our art and our work! Today our song is united with all the people!

“Become a link in the chain too”

National Union of Musicians of Greece