A new group bringing together key players in the troubled entertainment industry could be up and running in the next few weeks.

The idea was well received at a meeting of entertainers and musicians at the Leopard?s Club on Sunday.

It was put forward by Richard Hawke, who said the organisation would not be set up to rival the existing Bermuda Federation of Musicians and Variety Artists but to help revitalise and improve conditions for those in the live performance industry.

Stressing he wanted to take a backseat in the new group, Mr. Hawke said he had a temporary leader in mind until elections could be held.

He said the provisionally titled Association of Performing Artists in Bermuda (APAB) would be of a similar structure to the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism which brings together key sectors of that industry.

He said: ?It won?t just be musicians but performers of any kind. This is not meant to be a replacement for the union, the union has a very specific function.

?It performs an advocacy type of thing ? or is supposed to. It has one side of the situation, there are no employers allowed to hold office.

?We have to move forward without bickering or partisanship.

?The industry has problems and has shrunk a great deal, we are trying to find ways to jump start it.?

Mr. Hawke said employers, hoteliers, venue owners and Government would be be included in APAB to work together on problems in the industry.

Mr. Hawke, who has been a musician for 30 years, said he expected the musicians? union and its members would want to get involved.

?It?s meant to be very, very inclusive. It will include jugglers, singers, entertainers and DJs.?

He said one sponsor had already pledged to set up and maintain a website free for a year to promote APAB?s work.

Sunday?s meeting saw around 45 musicians and entertainers raise concerns said organiser Stuart Hayward, including about the current union structure.

He said the idea for the new body had been very well received.

?The union should have information for its members. There was a concern the union, as it is currently, hasn?t done the kind of job they ? I think fairly ? expect.?

The former MP has been commissioned by Government to study Bermuda?s entertainment scene.

He said issues raised included job security, airplay for local artists and concerns of the role of the union.

Local musicians say they are being marginalised from Bermuda?s airwaves, said Mr. Hayward, rather than being part of the mainstream.

He said all countries grappled with the issue of foreign musicians and he liked the Australian approach where incoming musicians had to bring something to benefit the local scene such as running workshops or allowing local musicians to play with them.

Questionnaires for hotels and night clubs are in the pipeline, said Mr. Hayward, who will also be gathering information about policies practised by unions and governments abroad.

His recommendations will go to Government in the autumn.