Tina Arena slams cancellation of music events while footy matches are allowed to go ahead as a 'categoric disrespect' of the arts and insists that 'life is not about sport' By Alisha Buaya For Daily Mail Australia Published: 10:54 BST, 25 September 2021 | Updated: 10:56 BST, 25 September 2021 Viewcomments Tina Arena has made an impassioned plea for better support for Australia's arts and entertainment industry after they copped a battering due to the pandemic. On Friday, the 53-year-old singer admitted on Studio 10 that she, like many others, have struggled because of lockdowns. When asked about the concerts and music festivals cancelled over football matches, which have been allowed to continue, she said she 'hates the differentiation between sport and arts in Australia'. Plea: Tina Arena (pictured) has made an impassioned plea for better support for Australia's arts and entertainment industry after they copped a battering due to the pandemic She called out the double standard, saying: 'That's a categoric disrespect. I'm sorry, that's rude, disrespectful, and shouldn't be at all allowed to play out.' 'Sport is a great thing, but life is not just about sport. Life is about art and culture, and art and culture play an equally important role,' she said. The Chains hitmaker also pointed out that the arts and entertainment sector have been among the first to help during times of need. Ouch: When asked about the concerts and music festivals cancelled over football matches, which have been allowed to continue, she said she 'hates the differentiation between sport and arts in Australia' She specifically pointed out the music industry coming together to stage the Artists Unite for Fire Fight benefit concert in 2020. 'Now we're in trouble, is someone helping us? No,' she said. 'It's amazing how people just fly away and disappear, however they're very quick to ask us to work for free, to relinquish any kind of remuneration from sales of record. She called out the double standard, saying: 'That's a categoric disrespect. I'm sorry, that's rude, disrespectful, and shouldn't be at all allowed to play out' 'You know what? Done. We're done, and now we're saying it. Just stop this ridiculous, preposterous behaviour. It's got to stop,' she declared. While she was among the lucky number of musicians who were able to tour, Tina said she was hopeful to be back on the road again in the near future. 'We need to work, the audiences need some respite, so the immediate future for us is that we’ll see you back at work ASAP,' Tina said. Strain: She specifically pointed out the music industry coming together to stage the Artists Unite for Fire Fight benefit concert in 2020. 'Now we're in trouble, is someone helping us? No,' she said Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility