UK culture minister Chris Bryant says the live business had made “substantial progress” on a voluntary ticket levy and ruled out the need for government intervention at this stage.

Bryant provided an update to MPs at a meeting of the Culture Media and Sport Committee in parliament this morning (13 May).

The session, which examined the progress made to bolster the grassroots music sector in the UK, heard from a host of industry figures including LIVE CEO Jon Collins, Music Venue Trust (MVT) chief Mark Davyd, AEG Presents UK boss Steve Homer, Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) CEO David Martin, the National Arenas Association’s Nancy Skipper and Marit Berning of the Music Managers Forum (MMF).

UK trade body LIVE announced last month that its LIVE Trust has garnered over £500,000 (€587k) in pledges since its launch in January. The Trust receives funding from a voluntary contribution of £1 per ticket from arena and stadium shows with a capacity of over 5,000, with the funds going to support the grassroots ecosystem.

Artists including Pulp, Diana Ross, Mumford and Sons and Hans Zimmer have pledged ticket contributions from their UK tours.

While Bryant told CMS chair Caroline Dinenage that he’d “prefer us to have achieved a lot more by now”, he added: “We hoped to make substantial progress by the first quarter of 2025 and we have made substantial progress. 

“We’ve said that we want it to be a voluntary levy because it’s quicker to achieve – anything that has to require statute takes forever and a day. I don’t know when the next King’s Speech is going to be, so I don’t know when we would be able to legislate.”

“We’re very clear that we would [implement legislation] if this weren’t to be proceeding – but it is proceeding”

He added: “We’re very clear that we would [implement legislation] if this weren’t to be proceeding – but it is proceeding. We’ve got to where I hope we would get to by now. I’d like us to go a bit faster over the next phase. I’d like more people to sign up. I understand that obviously lots of people who are performing now came to their arrangements 18 months, two years ago, about their tour, but there are lots of people who are thinking about touring now.”

The Labour MP and LIVE jointly wrote to CMS ahead of the evidence session, reporting that the industry had made “tangible progress” since the government backed the levy in its response to the committee’s report last November, albeit, they recognised there was “further to go to deliver widespread levy adoption and distribution of funds through the LIVE Trust”.

“By now, if we’d not been able to write to you jointly yesterday to say where we’d got to, I would have been very cross, and I would be saying, ‘Right, well, I’m looking at legislation, can we start drafting it?'” said Bryant. “But we’ve not got there, and I’m very optimistic that this is going to work. I think it’s been a good idea. I think there’s lots of goodwill behind it in the industry, and I think a lot of artists and their management companies will sign up in fairly short order.”

Bryant added that there were “some things that we’ve still got to overcome”, including getting the charity “completely up and running, because it’s not just about the money coming in, it’s about the money going out”.

“But honestly, I have been impressed by how we’re getting there,” he said. “Are there people who could do a bit more? I think Live Nation might want to step up a bit more. They’re a very, very big player in this world… But I just want everybody who’s considering a big tour in the UK in the next year or so to sign up, and then I think we’ll have millions of pounds going to smaller grassroots venues.”

Asked if receiving £1 million in pledges was a realistic goal for the Trust before the end of 2025, Bryant replied: “I’d prefer to see more than a million by the end of the year, partly because I want to see more tours happening in the UK.

“I hope that some money might be going out before the end of the year, but I don’t want to hurry them so fast that the Trust ends up losing trust, if you see what I mean, because I think that that will be counterproductive in the in the long term.”

“It places a burden on artists… They’re either criticised for potentially increasing ticket prices or they’re criticised for not supporting the grassroots”

Earlier in the two and a half hour meeting, MVT chief Davyd lamented that “too many people in the industry” saw the levy as some sort of charitable donation.

“It’s not charitable, it’s simple R&D,” he said. “And the way the music industry is conducted now, we don’t have enough commitment to R&D in the live side… Other countries are getting this right.”

Martin, meanwhile, said the FAC, which penned a joint open letter with the MMF last year calling for a blanket ticket levy, believed “what we have right now is a system of artist-led donations, not a levy”. He noted that “about 8%” of UK shows above 5,000-cap that had gone on sale since November had implemented a donation.

“The problem we have with an artist-led system of donations is two-fold,” he said. “It’s unpredictable, and we don’t have the right amount. We don’t have the maximum amount of money coming in to support the grassroots, but additionally, it places a burden on artists… They’re either criticised for potentially increasing ticket prices or they’re criticised for not supporting the grassroots.”

Speaking after the session, MMF CEO Annabella Coldrick said an “incredible” amount of work had gone on behind the scenes to get the LIVE Trust up and running.

“But now that it’s operational, and with distribution mechanisms like the FAC’s UK Artist Touring fund – backed by the MMF – being developed in parallel, it’s imperative that the entire industry can come together quickly and ramp up the investment into grassroots touring,” she said. “If that momentum can’t be achieved on a voluntary basis, then we urge the government to legislate and make the contribution mandatory.”

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The UK’s Music Venue Trust (MVT) has warned significant work is still needed to prevent a continued decline of the grassroots sector after launching its 2024 Annual Report.

Among the key trends highlighted by the charity, which represents hundreds of UK grassroots music venues (GMVs), is the huge decline in locations on the UK’s primary and secondary touring circuit over the last 30 years, with an average tour in 1994 including 22 dates and the equivalent tour in 2024 consisting of only 11 dates.

Touring in 1994 was spread across a range of 28 locations across the country. Yet in 2024, just 12 locations – all of them major cities – remained as primary and secondary touring circuit stops, acting as regular hosts to grassroots tours. Furthermore, cities and towns such as Leicester, Edinburgh, Bath, Hull, Windsor and Stoke on Trent have dropped off the primary route.

In addition, MVT’s Emergency Response Service, which offers financial, planning, licensing, noise, acoustics and legal advice to GMVs, dealt with 200 emergency response cases – up 19% year-on-year. Overall, the total number of live music shows was down 8.3% since 2023, while ticket revenues fell 13.5% in the same period.

The report also acknowledges positive developments, including the MVT’s 10th anniversary last year, and the continued success of Music Venue Properties (MVP), which has now secured freehold ownership of five GMVs, and the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) report, which backed calls to safeguard grassroots music.

Of the 835 GMVs that were operational as of 25 July 2023, meanwhile, 810 remained operational 12 months on.

“Venues, despite all the very welcome good intentions and acknowledgements they are receiving for their vital work, are still closing”

“The 2024 Annual Report recognises that after 10 years of work by MVT a very broad consensus has been built among politicians, industry, artists and the public that grassroots music venues must be protected, supported, encouraged and nurtured,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd.

‘In 2025, we have to see that consensus bring forward positive, practical interventions in the real world. Venues, despite all the very welcome good intentions and acknowledgements they are receiving for their vital work, are still closing, still under extreme and totally unnecessary financial pressures, still failing to be recognised, as everyone agrees they should and must be, when government designs policy, taxation, and legislation.

‘It isn’t good enough to keep saying how much we all value them, we’ve got to practically do something about it. We need action not words.”

A survey of the 810 members of the Music Venues Alliance (MVA) found that they staged more than 162,000 live music events through the year to a total audience of just under 20 million, generating a total direct value to the UK economy of £526 million.

However, the MVT adds that, on average, GMVs operated on a profit margin of just 0.48% with 43.8% of them reporting a loss in the last 12 months, meaning the sector as a whole effectively subsidised live music activity by £162m.

To access the full 2024 Annual Report, click here.

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Following a meeting with the government, IQ understands the UK live music industry is edging towards a deal which would see more stadium and arena tours agree to include a contribution towards grassroots support.

Yesterday’s ministerial roundtable meeting with culture minister Chris Bryant MP followed the government’s plea to the live industry to introduce a voluntary ticket levy to support the grassroots music sector in its response to the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Select Committee’s report.

As well as key industry representative bodies, senior figures from some of the UK’s leading promoters were in attendance, including Live Nation, AEG, SJM and Kilimanjaro Live.

“The first roundtable with the minister was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the live music sector,” said LIVE CEO Jon Collins. “Our focus now is to continue to work together to put in place a robust plan for the newly launched LIVE trust and to accelerate the process of directing much needed funding to the grassroots music sector. It was heartening to hear the minister once again endorse the government’s desire to support grassroots venues, festivals, artists and promoters.”

Music Venue Trust (MVT) founder and CEO Mark Davyd also struck an upbeat tone in the wake of yesterday’s discussion.

“We want to thank the LIVE team for all the hard work to reach a consensus on pushing ahead with the much discussed grassroots contribution from every arena and stadium ticket sold,” he said. “The meeting with minister for culture Chris Bryant was a great example of the whole ecosystem pulling together to create an outcome that, ultimately, benefits all of us working in the live industry and everyone who loves live music.”

The current direction of travel stops short of the ‘levy’ called for in various industry campaigns and focuses instead on close collaboration ahead of tours, aimed at significantly increasing the number of projects that include grassroots support.

“A grassroots music fund cannot be dependent on voluntary artist donations“

However, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is maintaining its call for a blanket ticket levy, having previously set out its stance in its joint open letter with the Musicians’ Union in October.

“I’d like to thank minister for culture, Chris Bryant, for engaging with the sector on the grassroots music levy,” FAC CEO David Martin tells IQ. “Whilst it’s clear that there are different perspectives within the industry on how to tackle the crisis, the minister has tasked industry representatives with demonstrating they can collectively introduce a £1 levy from large arena and stadium shows, to support grassroots artists, promoters and venues, with the objective that this approach will become blanket across all shows.

“The critical word here is levy. A grassroots music fund cannot be dependent on voluntary artist donations.  Such an opt-in ad hoc system would create uncertainty and the potential for an uneven playing field for UK artists on British soil. Furthermore, it places the burden of decision-making on individual artists rather than sharing it across the industry.

“However, we welcome the attempts to try to progress the situation. We are also pleased that the whole sector has agreed that funds distributed to artists should be equivalent to those distributed to venues, in order to stimulate vital performances and industry growth.”

Bryant said earlier this month that the government wants to see ‘tangible progress’ by the first quarter of next year to meet the timeline of increased grassroots support coming in as soon as possible for concerts in 2025. While IQ understands that the minster expressed his understanding that with many 2025 tours now announced it may take some time for new schemes to come onstream, he reiterated the threat of potential statutory action if insufficient progress is made.

MVT announced in November that it is teaming with live music advocate Save Our Scene to launch the Liveline Fund to handle donations to the grassroots ecosystem from companies, organisations and artists.

Frank Turner recently became the latest artist to donate £1 from every ticket sold for his upcoming UK tour to support local independent music venues, following similar pledges from acts such as Sam Fender, Katy Perry and Coldplay, who will donate 10% of proceeds from their 2025 stadium concerts in England to the MVT.

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The Music Venue Trust (MVT) is teaming with live music advocate Save Our Scene (SOS) to launch a new scheme aimed at supporting the independent music scene.

The Liveline Fund is focused on strengthening the future viability of the UK grassroots music ecosystem, with companies, organisations and artists able to make donations through a simple platform.

Coldplay’s vow to donate 10% of their proceeds from their forthcoming Wembley and Hull stadium shows to the MVT served as the first initiative under the partnership, followed by similar pledges by Sam Fender and Katy Perry.

Donations made by the concerts’ promoters (SJM Concerts, Metropolis Music and Live Nation), the band’s booking agent (WME), the venues (Wembley Stadium and Hull Craven Park) and official ticket agents (Ticketmaster, See Tickets and AXS) will also support the new fund.

“We are proud to have formed this partnership with Music Venue Trust following our introduction to Coldplay last year,” says George Fleming, who launched SOS during the Covid-19 lockdown. “The goal of Liveline is to affirm the independent live music ecosystem and ensure the future viability of our sector. A thriving music industry depends on a steady pipeline of talent, which is made possible through supporting grassroots music.

“Collaborative action is essential to ensure this fund achieves its full potential and we look forward to working alongside MVT and other stakeholders in amplifying the fund, its awardees and helping ensure proceeds are distributed in a holistic and transparent way, which benefits the entire grassroots ecosystem, including fans.”

“In George and the team at Save Our Scene, we have found kindred spirits who share our passion to protect the grassroots music sector”

UK footwear and apparel brand Kickers has become the first brand to contribute to the Liveline fund in the wake of the launch of the brand’s Stomping Grounds campaign in partnership with SOS.

Alongside investments in infrastructure, events and touring, UK grassroots venues, artists and independent promoters will be able to apply for funding through an open application process, which will be managed by MVT.

“Working with likeminded people is always inspiring and, in George and the team at Save Our Scene, we have found kindred spirits who share our passion to protect the grassroots music sector in the face of many challenges they are having to confront,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “Save Our Scene has the sort of direct access to the fan community that we feel has been missing from too many of the discussions so far. By partnering with SOS we are taking a first step towards putting fans and their experiences at the heart of the conversation.”

Davyd previously discussed Coldplay’s donation in an interview with IQ in September.

“If the biggest band in the world is telling you that they know that without the grassroots music venues, they probably wouldn’t have got to where they are – and they are going to put their own money out of their shows into a cause to save them – I think the whole music ecosystem should be listening,” said Davyd. “I can’t think of a bigger message than that for our industry.”

“While touring is the best job ever, it is currently technically what you might call a passion project for a lot of artists in 2024”

Meanwhile, British singer-songwriter Kate Nash has garnered headlines after launching an OnlyFans account selling revealing pictures to fund her tours under the campaign slogan “Butts for tour buses”.

“While touring is the best job ever, it is currently technically what you might call a passion project for a lot of artists in 2024,” she said.

Speaking to the BBC, Nash described the music industry as “completely broken” and claimed that “touring makes losses not profits”, adding that she was probably going to make more money from OnlyFans than from music over the next three months.

“I also think it’s bit of a punk protest as a woman to take control of my body and sell it to be able to fund my passion project, which is actually my 18-year career,” she continued. “I want to highlight that, and I want people to talk about it, and I want people to know the truth about what what’s happening in the music business.”

The 37-year-old, who is best known for her 2007 hit Foundations, is currently in the midst of a UK tour, stopping at venues including New Century Hall in Manchester, KOKO in London and Brighton’s Chalk, having recently completed a three-week tour of the US.

“I’m losing money from those tours,” she tadded. “The only way I could find to make a profit on the tour – you’re either going, hopefully I sell enough T-shirts to cover the debt, or you cut people’s wages, or you fire band and crew, or you travel dangerously. So that leaves me in a position where I’m not profiting from tours. So is this a job, or is it a passion project?”

Artists including Chemical Brothers, Little Simz, Santigold, Metronomy, Rachel Chinouriri, Easy Life and Roger Daltrey have previously raised concerns about the cost of touring – particularly in the States – with some axing entire tours.

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Katy Perry has become the latest artist to pledge £1 from every ticket sold for her newly announced UK tour leg to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), as the business awaits the green light for the LIVE Trust.

The American pop star, who played her first UK shows at London’s 200-cap Water Rats and 1,145-cap Scala in 2008, becomes the first international act to follow the likes of Coldplay, Sam Fender and Enter Shikari by donating a percentage of tour proceeds to the organisation.

“I’m proud to donate £1 from every ticket on the UK leg of The Lifetimes Tour to Music Venue Trust so that venues like Water Rats and Scala, where I played my first UK shows, can continue to usher in the next generation of music talent” says CAA-represented Perry, who will play arenas across the UK in October 2025, promoted by AEG.

“We want to say a huge thank you to Katy and her team for stepping up to support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters,” adds MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “The contribution from these shows will keep venues open, get new and emerging artists out on tour, and enable promoters to bring the best in new music to our communities.”

Davyd tells IQ the charity’s mission extends to supporting the whole ecosystem at grassroots level.

“Whether it’s artists being able to tour or promoters being able to take risks or venues being able to be open, it all helps each other,” he says. “We have our own internal distribution of funding through which we have successfully distributed over £4 million in the last three years to artists, so we will continue to do that, but we imagine that as the financial support expands organisations like FAC, MMP, AIP, MU, etc will identify funding partners to distribute money for them or build mechanisms themselves.”

“A strategy that keeps venues afloat but bypasses the artists who perform on those stages will simply repeat the mistakes of the pandemic”

Last week, the UK government urged the live industry to introduce a voluntary ticket levy to support the grassroots music sector in its response to the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report.

However, prior to that, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Musicians’ Union (MU) penned a joint open letter calling for a blanket ticket levy to share the cost of investing in the future of the UK live scene, insisting that “just supporting venues in itself will not save grassroots music”.

Speaking to IQ, FAC CEO David Martin stresses that the group was established to represent the UK’s artist community.

“We make no apology in campaigning for their interests, especially when artists are facing such massive shortfalls from the increased costs of touring,” he says. “Alleviating those pressures and encouraging more live activity is the only effective solution to the grassroots music crisis.

“A strategy that keeps venues afloat but bypasses the artists who perform on those stages will simply repeat the mistakes of the pandemic, with disastrous consequences for the wider live music business. While the generosity of individual artists in donating to MVT is commendable, it does not equate to a sustainable, transparent and long-term strategy to safeguard the sector’s future.”

The LIVE Trust, an industry-created charitable body which would collect and distribute funds, is currently in the process of being set up with the UK charity regulator. Martin says the FAC endorses the body as “a vehicle for collecting and distributing a blanket levy”.

“It is now imperative for the sector to unite in agreeing on a clear pathway to achieve this goal, fostering economic activity, live touring, and audience growth,” he adds.

“LIVE’s members are working to increase the profile of the Trust ahead of launch and include discussion as to its aims and objectives”

On that subject, LIVE CEO Jon Collins offers an update on the timeframe involved in setting up the trust.

“We have covered a lot of ground in the six months since the CMS Committee recommended an industry solution to the grassroots crisis, avoiding a much more intrusive statutory intervention,” he tells IQ. “Even with a packed industry summer and an election, we have been able to agree the aims, objectives, structure, funding approach, initial trustees and mid-term strategy for the trust.

“A lot of this work goes under the radar as we work on our formal submission to the Charity Commission. We feel we have now answered all the Commission’s questions and await the green light.”

Collins continues: “It is brilliant news that Katy Perry has opted to support grassroots music, and we hope she is the first of many international artists to do so alongside their UK counterparts. With the LIVE Trust in place, there will be another option for those wishing to support artists, venues, festivals, promoters and the other actors that contribute to our grassroots sector.

“LIVE’s members are working to increase the profile of the trust ahead of launch and include discussion as to its aims and objectives in relevant tour planning.”

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Measures announced as part of the first Budget under the UK’s new Labour government have put more than 350 grassroots venues (GMVs) at risk of immediate closure, according to the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Autumn Budget in the House of Commons today (30 October) – almost four months on from Labour’s landslide general election victory.

Reeves announced £40 billion (€48bn) of tax rises, with business rates relief set to be cut from 75% to 40% from 1 April next year ahead of a planned overhaul of the system in 2026.

MVT CEO Mark Davyd has shared his disappointment the move, which he says was made in spite of extensive briefings about the negative knock-on effects on the scene, pointing out that 43% of GMVs in the UK made a loss last year.

“The immediate impact is to create a demand for £7 million in additional premises taxes from a sector that, in 2023, returned an entire gross profit across all 830 such venues in the UK of just £2.9 million,” says Davyd. “Over 350 grassroots music venues are now placed at immediate risk of closure, representing the potential loss of more than 12,000 jobs, over £250 million in economic activity and the loss of over 75,000 live music events.”

“Changes in April 2026… will be of no use for the hundreds of music venues that are now likely to be lost before this challenge is finally met”

He continues: “Simultaneously with announcing this new tax demand, the government acknowledged the faults and inequities inherent in the business rate system, promising to deliver a new lower rate of taxes on physical, hospitality and leisure premises in April 2026.

“The challenges around business rates and grassroots music venues have been known and accepted for over a decade. Changes in April 2026 are to be welcomed, but will be of no use for the hundreds of music venues that are now likely to be lost before this challenge is finally met with a full, long overdue reform.”

Davyd puts forward three possible solutions, starting off by urging the government to have a rethink and restore the 75% rate relief for GMVs. Alternatively, he argues it could create an emergency fund of up to £7m (€8.4m) that the most under-threat venues could access to meet the new tax demand.

Lastly, his third suggestion is that every GMV in the country install a temporary business rate levy of 50p (€0.60) applied to every ticket sold and used directly to meet the £7m demand until the new business rate system is installed.

“Unless the government is willing to think again, it unfortunately may be the only possible option to stop a complete collapse of live music in our communities,” he adds.

“The decision to reduce this relief will increase costs on grassroots music venues already struggling to keep their doors open”

LIVE CEO Jon Collins was less critical of Reeves’ announcement, saying the trade body recognised the chancellor had “tough choices” to make.

“We welcome the retention of business rates relief but the decision to reduce this relief will increase costs on grassroots music venues already struggling to keep their doors open,” he adds. “The live music sector is a key contributor to economic growth, generating over £6 billion in 2023, and creating positive social, cultural, and economic impact across every city, town and village in the UK. It is critical that the next Budget focuses on growth and enables sectors like live music to achieve their full potential.”

While the chancellor extended business rates relief for night-time economy businesses by an additional two years at a reduced 40%, halving the relief, the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) says the benefit is negated by a series of tax hikes that threaten the sector’s financial stability.

“We are in one of the toughest trading environments the UK has seen in decades for our sector, fraught with a legacy of challenges from previous crises,” says NTIA CEO Michael Kill. “While the chancellor has listened to our plight, the extended business rates relief is a minor concession amongst the array of tax increases and fiscal shifts, which will take some time to evaluate and consider regarding sector impacts. However, in simple terms, it is still double the contribution of the current business rates.

“This relief will be immediately undercut by increased NIC Employer contributions and thresholds with increased individual employer contributions to businesses, net increase in alcohol duty and overarching workforce increases, although rightly intended to support the workforce, will have severe repercussions for already struggling businesses across the sector. This shows an acknowledgement of core businesses within nightlife but lacks consideration for the broader industry outside of bricks and mortar businesses and the vital and diverse role our night-time economy plays within our communities and the UK’s culture and economy.”

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Music Venue Trust (MVT) boss Mark Davyd has hailed a “massive day” for the grassroots music sector after Coldplay pledged that 10% of proceeds from their newly announced 2025 UK dates will be donated to the organisation.

The band have confirmed six new shows at London’s Wembley Stadium (22-23, 26-27 & 30-31 August) and two at Hull’s Craven Park Stadium (18-19 August) – the only European cities where they will perform next year – in the latest leg of their record-breaking Music of the Spheres World Tour.

Since the first Music Of The Spheres tour date in March 2022, the band have sold more than 10 million tickets – meaning it is already the biggest tour by a group of all-time.

“It’s a massive day for us and a massive day for the grassroots sector,” Davyd tells IQ. “The biggest band in the world have come out and said, ‘Yes, this is true. This is what needs to happen. We are going to do it.’ It doesn’t have to be a challenge for the music industry. It doesn’t have to be a challenge to any other artists. It could just become the new normal.”

Revealed via a poster placed in the window of the Dublin Castle in Camden, London – the scene of the first ever Coldplay show in February 1998 – on Sunday evening, the donation to the MVT will help fund the Trust’s work supporting UK grassroots music venues and upcoming artists.

Donations will also be made to the MVT by the concerts’ promoters (SJM Concerts, Metropolis Music and Live Nation), the band’s booking agent (WME), the venues and the official ticket agents (Ticketmaster, See Tickets and AXS).

“This conversation was started in December 2023,” says Davyd. “It was inspired by an organisation called Save Our Scene, which effectively connected us to Coldplay. When Chris [Martin] from the band had expressed to Save Our Scene that he really wanted to do something, they said Music Venue Trust was the right organisation. George [Fleming, founder] at Save Our Scene was particularly instrumental in making this happen.”

“The live music industry needs to think about what artists are telling them and think about what they can be doing themselves”

He continues: “This is Coldplay saying, ‘It’s very important to us and we want to do it this way,’ so it’s an incredibly helpful example. But somebody asked me this morning if this was proof that people in the music industry are going to deliver on the CMS Committee’s [calls for a ticket levy for grassroots venues] and no, this is just proof that artists really, really care about grassroots music venues.

“The live music industry needs to think about what artists are telling them and think about what they can be doing themselves.”

In a world-first for a stadium show, the band plan to continue their sustainability efforts by powering the Wembley concerts’ production with 100% solar, wind and kinetic energy, collected at the venue and elsewhere in the UK, and delivered by a specially-designed electric battery system. In addition, one of the satellite stages at each show will be fully powered by energy generated by the audience via kinetic flooring and power bikes.

Meanwhile, 50% of the tickets for the Hull shows – the band’s first ever concerts in the city – will go to local fans.

In June, Coldplay announced the tour has so far produced 59% less CO2e emissions than their previous stadium tour in 2016/17, exceeding their original target of a 50% reduction. They also revealed that nine million trees have already been planted, with a further million to be planted before the end of the year.

The group’s upcoming new album, Moon Music, which drops next month, will also set new standards for sustainability, with each LP made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The Music of the Spheres World Tour resumes in Australia on 30 October this year, taking in four nights at each of Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium and Sydney’s Accor Stadium, before switching to New Zealand for three gigs at Eden Park in Auckland.

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The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has published a report entitled, ‘A Manifesto for Grassroots Music’ ahead of the UK General Election on 4 July.

The report, which can be found here, outlines the steps the charity says are required in order to stem the closures of grassroots music venues (GMVs) and bring stability to the sector.

Calling it “a once in a generation opportunity to save the UK’s grassroots music venues”, the report emphasises the need to implement the recent Culture Media & Sport Select Committee recommendations for the wider live music industry to invest in the future of grassroots music via a £1 contribution from every arena and stadium ticket sold for events over 5,000 capacity.

“The manifesto is being delivered to every prospective MP in the country with the request that they come out in support of it as part of their campaign to be elected,” says Sophie Brownlee, the MVT’s external affairs manager. “Music communities across the country will also be asking the candidates where they stand on the future of live music in our towns and cities. The time to act is now.”

“We have a chance to save UK grassroots music venues from the crisis they currently face and we should not let it slip”

The other key areas highlighted in the report are for a fan-led review to fully examine the long-term challenges to the live music ecosystem and the agent of change principle in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to be put on a statutory footing at the earliest opportunity.

In addition, it is calling for a reduction in VAT on cultural ticketing in GMVs to 0% and reduce VAT on cultural ticketing in the live music industry to the European average (5-7%), as well as the creation of a specific business rates premises definition for GMVs and the removal of properties satisfying that definition from the requirement to pay business rates.

“In 2023, of the 366 small music venues Ed Sheeran played while learning his trade, at least 150 are now closed,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “Another 72 grassroots music venues significantly reduced or ended their live music offer. 38% of GMVs in the UK made a loss in the last 12 months. The sector operated on a 0.5% profit margin overall while running live music events at a £115 million loss.

“All of this can be changed if the next government delivers the five simple steps we have set out in this report. We therefore call on all political representatives, from all parties, to seize the moment and drive forward this change. We have a chance to save UK grassroots music venues from the crisis they currently face and we should not let it slip.”

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Music Venue Trust (MVT) has announced a second acquisition by Music Venue Properties (MVP) under its Own Our Venues scheme.

The Ferret in Preston, a 200-capacity venue which has hosted artists such as Ed Sheeran, IDLES, Alt-J, Royal Blood and many more, will now be placed into permanent protected status.

Following the purchase, The Ferret’s operators have signed a cultural lease with MVP, an “innovative agreement” specifically created by MVP to guarantee that, as long as The Ferret operates as a space for grassroots live music for their local community, they can enjoy the use of the building.

“This one was a very complicated and challenging process, but that’s good because it tested what we’re doing,” MVT chief Mark Davyd tells IQ.

“We had to make our way through a lot of legal complications and work out different bits of ownership law. But the important thing is, The Ferret is a highly valued and treasured space in this area. It has grown organically out of a music community here and has a fantastic team running it. It came under threat and not only has that threat gone, but the venue will be here forever.”

“The Own Our Venues programme is escalating”

The purchase of The Ferret follows the October 2023 acquisition of The Snug in Atherton, Greater Manchester.

A further seven venues across the country have been identified for purchase in this initial phase and Davyd reveals to IQ that MVT/MVP currently have offers on three of those venues.

“We would expect to announce at least two of those venues in no more than a month,” he adds. “The Own Our Venues programme is escalating and we’re still keen to get more people invested because it’s really transforming the future of these venues.”

Own Our Venues was originally launched as a Community Share Offer in 2022. To date, almost £2.6m has been raised from over 1,200 individual investors. Funding was matched with a £500k investment from Arts Council England, and the figure includes loans of £150k from Preston City Council and £500k from Arts & Culture Impact Fund.

According to MVT, 93% of GMVs are tenants with the typical operator only having 18 months left on their tenancy.

The issue of ownership underpins almost every other challenge that GMVs have faced during the last twenty years, says MVT, including gentrification, noise complaints, under-investment, poor economic models, and an inability to plan for the future.

In other MVT news, the organisation has appointed three key hires, with Sophie Brownlee joining as external affairs manager and Kimberley Goddard taking on the role of fundraising manager in a part-time capacity.

In addition, Sophie Asquith has been promoted to be the new venue support team manager, overseeing the work of the UK’s venue coordinators and heading up MVT’s Emergency Response Service.

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Across the globe, in almost every town and city, hidden gems pulsate with the raw, unbridled energy of live music.

Often tucked away off the beaten track, these intimate spaces carry a profound significance that transcends mere bricks and mortar. They are sanctuaries where local music scenes breathe and evolve, providing a stage for emerging artists to share their stories – cultural beacons where community, authenticity, and resilience truly take precedence.

In an era of endless mass production, these venues stand as a testament to the enduring power of music and fans’ unwavering passion, where that intimate connection between artist and audience is not only appreciated but revered. They are the very lifeblood of musical culture. But such grassroots music venues are facing existential threats.

2023 was the toughest year yet for them, something that becomes crystal clear perusing news stories on the topic. “Brutal,” “A dire crisis,” and “Devasting” scream the headlines – and with, on average, more than one venue closing every week, the topic is now routinely reported on by the mainstream media.

In the UK, the perfect storm of Brexit, Covid, the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and the knock-on effects of wars and global instability has pushed many venues to the brink; government intransigence and ignorance often impede even the most basic common-sense efforts to help.

“These are places that make people go out and that get people inspired”

Yet the fight for their survival is not without hope. Last year marked the tenth anniversary of the Music Venue Trust, a ground-breaking charity that does vital work developing solutions, lobbying for change, and ensuring the music industry, politicians, and the wider public remain cognisant of the seriousness of this issue. Their achievements over the last decade have been notable, with their work inspiring dozens of similar organisations and impassioned individuals the world over; progress, albeit slowly, is being made.

Reflecting on this milestone, though, and taking stock of where the fault lines lie in this battle, it remains clear that there is much to be done – and quickly – if catastrophe is to be avoided. “These are places that make people go out and that get people inspired,” MVT CEO Mark Davyd said on a trip to Parliament this time last year. “[But] we’re not near the edge, we’re over the edge, and we’re tumbling down. You need to throw a lifeline down.”

Rising up, back on the street
The Music Venue Trust was created to promote a simple yet clear idea. “Ownership of the physical buildings was the key issue,” Davyd tells IQ, “and the trust was created with that name specifically as a reference to the concept of a National Trust for Music Venues – a model of benevolent ownership that would support the sector against all the other challenges it faced.”

The idea came to Davyd after the financial crisis of the late 2000s, and specifically, the closure of London’s Astoria in 2009. “That was the moment I realised no one seemed to care about the live music ecosystem,” he says. “There was a definite feeling for a number of years that things were so bad that obviously somebody would step in and do something. But finally, in 2013, we realised nobody was going to – we would have to do it ourselves.”

“We are focused on advocating for cultural politices that can safeguard these spaces for continuous improvement”

And while that remains one of MVT’s goals – “It took us nine years to finally deliver that ownership model,” says Davyd; they purchased The Snug in Atherton in 2023 – a far greater scope of activities, services, and other problems have presented themselves over the years. In the same vein, differing legislative and economic realities in other territories, coupled with much later start dates, means that similar organisations in other parts of the world have often focused on more immediate practical measures.

Face to face, out in the heat
“We have secured direct support for programming and infrastructure in the venues,” says Carmen Zapata Corbalán, manager of Associació de Salas de Conciertos de Catalunya (the association of concert halls in Catalonia – ASACC), “and our ongoing efforts are focused on advocating for cultural policies that can safeguard these spaces for continuous improvement, even amidst changes in political leadership.”

Formed when it was realised that the live music sector required a spokesperson to advocate for smaller venues, ASACC has advocated for such spaces to be considered “cultural assets” alongside requests for the regulation of music venues to fall under the jurisdiction of the Departure of Culture, instead of its current position under the Department of Security and Police. To do so, they document the closure or cessation of concerts in venues – including a campaign called “The Last Concert?”, whereby the facades of venues were painted as obituaries – and lobby for new entertainment laws that acknowledge and support venues as cultural activities.

To date, their most notable achievement is ensuring that individuals under 18 years of age could attend concerts accompanied by parents or legal guardians, but, adds Corbalán, growth in the number of ASACC’s associated venues in recent years, from 39 to over 90, “is a clear indication of its utility and impact. This growth demonstrates that it has been successful in achieving its goal and has made a positive impact on the community it serves.”

“If people really fundamentally understood how access to live music makes us healthier, government may be more willing to wrap their heads around the kind of policymaking that’s required”

The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is also currently celebrating its tenth anniversary. An organisation whose mission is to entrench live music’s economic, social, and cultural value in both the public and private sectors. “What we’re attempting to do is influence public policymaking,” says Erin Benjamin, president and CEO, “and the education of government, along with our storytelling, has been fundamental.”

The “story” is getting through, too. “Canada saw over $70m in designated money for live music in a historic budget during Covid – never had the words ‘live music venues’ appeared in a federal budget, ever,” she says. “That was monumental and something that we return to government to remind them of today.”

And the CLMA is keen to take a holistic view of such venues and the benefits they bring beyond money – much of their effort is directed towards their social and cultural impact, too. “If people really fundamentally understood how access to live music makes us healthier, mentally and physically, government and others may be more willing to wrap their heads around the kind of policymaking, economic or otherwise, that’s required to ensure the sustainability of these types of businesses,” says Benjamin.

In Austin, Texas, Rebecca Reynolds – president and founder of the Music Venue Alliance Austin (MVAA) – found “a patchwork of regulatory agencies and requirements that made it nearly impossible for venues to be in constant compliance.” Focused support was their answer; to start with, it was issues like sound complaints and parking, she says, whereas more recently, they’ve been “spending a lot of time on disaster relief, liquor taxes, and insurance.”

“These businesses are critical to culture and economy at the local level”

She notes that while property ownership for all venues would be ideal, “I am not sure that is everyone’s goal. We do need a regulatory environment that honours the fact that these are tax-paying businesses that do not benefit from philanthropic support but are critical to culture and economy at the local level and throughout the spectrum of the music industry.”

Directed conversations with lawmakers, building trust among the venue community, and working with those in position to implement the MVAA’s goals have paid dividends. “After lobbying our state legislature for three legislative sessions, we established a fund that will reimburse businesses up to $100k in alcohol taxes per year, to be put back into the production of live music in their spaces,” she says. “We also successfully lobbied the City of Austin to create a new fund, supported by hotel occupancy tax revenue, to provide grants for commercial music businesses.”

Reynold’s success in Texas directly influenced and inspired Chris Cobb, one of the founders of the Music Venue Alliance Nashville (MVAN). A volunteer-led organisation since its foundation in 2017, the MVAN has nonetheless proved influential thanks to what Cobb describes as “unbelievable grit and determination.” Again, legislative change around funding and tax are big goals – a venue grant fund and an alcohol tax refund are the current initiatives they are advocating for – and they scored some major successes in fundraising and preventing closures during Covid.

“Tax breaks,” says Cobb when asked about their main goals. “Taxes collected from independent venues make up an inconsequential percentage of total tax collected but are a significant cost to venues. Whether it be beer, liquor, or others, we must see a change in venue tax.”

“Now we are an organisation that promotes the interests of all cultural organisers, not just live music”

To this end, Cobb and MVAN are determined to “remind people – the right people – why venues are so important. But we have to be focused and more strategic, so we’ve just hired our first lobbyist, which is very exciting.” That cost is being split with the recently launched the Tennessee chapter of the National Independent Venue Association, and MVAN has also partnered with a local charitable organisation, their musicians’ union, the Musicians Association, and Belmont University on a music census to identify challenges and provide policy recommendations.

Norway’s Norske Kulturarrangører (NKA) has a little more history fighting for the arts – it started life back in 1982, working to promote the interest of volunteer-based rock clubs in Norway. “But now we are an organisation that promotes the interests of all cultural organisers, not just live music. So our approximately 500 members range from Live Nation, lots of rock and concert halls, and rock/blues clubs, whether public, volunteer, commercial, or global,” says Anders Tangan, the organisation’s senior advisor.

In Norway, gentrification is a major threat to grassroots venues, says Tangan, so much of NKA’s work revolves around protecting them from eviction. But the spectre of tax also looms large here. “In 2009, we managed to halt the proposal to put VAT on culture – we still have 0% VAT to this date, but the debate goes on,” says Tangan. “And in 2019, we managed to stop the taxation of volunteer work at venues and festivals.”

Overall, they’ve found that collaboration is key to achieving the required changes. “Historically, it’s been difficult coming together and speaking with one voice,” he says. “During Covid, this changed, and we could see that different organisations united, and real change was made. I think that will be important in the future – to unite and try to speak as one across the culture sector.”

“We are working to expand our reach and influence to ensure independent stages have a seat at the decision-making table”

Of course, new organisations and associations continue to pop up all over the world, united by the urgency of the fight and inspired by the precedent the Music Venue Trust has set. Australia’s Independent Live Venues Alliance (ILVA) is not even a year old yet but has already succeeded in getting grassroots venues “on the agenda,” as Jade Flavell, one of the founders, put it, and in “changing the language and thinking in media and political circles.”

Direct lobbying and coming to the table with practical and constructive ‘solutions’ that make it easy for those in power to say ‘yes,’ are one way that ILVA – the first organisation of its kind in Australia – plans to keep “chipping away” at the issue, says Flavell; ditto launching public awareness campaigns and calls to arms. And these are already bearing fruit; a few days after our initial interview, another Flavell, emails with news of a significant victory.

“The State Government of South Australia just announced a new programme to support small-medium dedicated live music venues with grants of up to $60,000 over 12 months towards costs associated with presenting original live music,” she writes. “ILVA worked closely on this programme with the minister for arts/small business Andrea Michaels – an engaged and sympathetic minister – and we were instrumental in securing this funding and ensuring it was targeted to dedicated original live music venues.”

Back in the US, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is a little older than ILVA – three years to be exact – and, according to executive director Stephen Parker, was formed with “an initial singular goal in mind – to convince Congress and local governments to invest in the recovery of independent venues, promoters, and festivals.”

“We need the whole industry to accept that it has a responsibility to make sure that aspiration and opportunity exists for new and emerging artists in every town and city”

Inspired by how Davyd and MVT had “leveraged the collective voice of grassroots venues to influence government,” their top priority is the “financial and operational sustainability of our members” and a foundation of advocacy. Having already secured what Parker calls “the largest arts investment in US history,” their approach is two-fold. “We are working to expand our reach and influence to ensure independent stages have a seat at the decision-making table, and we are building coalitions of music and event industry organisations that are active at the federal, state, and local levels,” he adds.

Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the next goal in their sights? “The biggest thing that would have an immediate impact is comprehensive ticketing reform that finally regulates a secondary resale market that is predatory for fans, artists, and venues,” says Parker. “Fraud is rampant in the secondary resale market, and our industry deserves the consumer protections that other industries have enjoyed for decades.”

Ah, yes. Ticketing. It’s a common issue mentioned by most of the organisations IQ speaks to and is something of a personal bugbear for Mark Davyd. Determined to make the wider music industry take greater responsibility – morally and financially – for the plight of grassroots music venues, he thinks ticketing is one of the most effective, easiest ways of achieving this.

“We need the whole industry to accept that it has a responsibility to make sure that aspiration and opportunity exists for new and emerging artists in every town and city in the UK,” he says. “A simple £1 levied on each ticket at arena level, funnelled back into the grassroots, would ensure that venues across the country can continue to support the artists and crew that emerge from the grassroots sector.”

“It’s doable and it’s worthy”

He notes that football already has a version of this in place, as does the French music industry. Furthermore, he adds that the French are going even further; from May, a 1.75% tax on streaming services in the country will be paid into a central fund and then distributed to support French artists, venues, and promoters. “We should be doing that here,” he remarks pointedly.

With eight new arenas being built across the UK in the coming years, Davyd told Parliament last year, “The distribution of wealth in this industry has got to change and be sustainable for grassroots, or we are all heading down over the cliff. Not a single one of those should open unless it has a policy where every ticket sold is investing back into grassroots music venues and grassroots artists – say no to them unless there is a pipeline.”

Tax, in the form of VAT, is also an issue in the UK, he says. The current VAT rate of 20% applied to tickets is “crushing the economic viability of this sector” and, he notes, is the highest of any major music nation in Europe – second only to Lithuania in the amount charged for putting on new and emerging talent. “That is ridiculous,” he says.

Even if Parliament is dragging its feet, Davyd’s calls have not completely fallen on deaf ears; part of MVT’s success has been co-opting other businesses and organisations into their campaigns and persuading them to change their own modus operandi. Gigtix, who launched a safe ticket reseller website in 2020, adopted the £1 donation model from the beginning; the money goes directly to MVT. “Would £1 really hurt all these companies selling tickets so much?” says Stephen Lee, the company’s director.

“The majority of fans would happily pay more if it meant venues had better facilities and survived”

“It hasn’t hurt us – it’s doable and worthy.”

He also believes the general ticketing ecosystem could do with an overhaul and that venues themselves can adopt a new – and somewhat controversial for some – approach. “We believe they themselves must dynamically price their tickets to generate enough profits to survive,” he says. “It’s vital, and venues shouldn’t frown upon it – the majority of fans would happily pay more if it meant venues had better facilities and survived.”

Even Ticketmaster have joined the fight; while not going as far as adopting the mandatory £1 approach, they at least give fans the option of donating when they purchase. “This year, we’ve hit a major milestone in our collaboration by introducing the optional Music Venue Trust donation across our marketplace, giving the millions of fans who come to Ticketmaster the opportunity to help UK grassroots venues,” says Andrew Parsons, managing director of Ticketmaster UK. “It’s our way of doubling down on supporting the crucial work MVT does.”

Since 2016, Ticketmaster has been the main sponsor of Venues Day – an event established by MVT COO Beverley Whitrick for grassroots music venues in the UK. In 2021, they launched a booking fee rebate where venues receive a 50% rebate on all booking fees, and just last year, they launched an annual MVT charity upsell option across their site, with Ticketmaster matching all donations received.

Of course, some venues and entertainment groups are taking it upon themselves to implement change. Many feel it’s the least they can do. “It isn’t rocket science, and it isn’t a huge amount of effort,” says Lisa Mart, venue director at Swansea Arena, which is part of the Ambassador Theatre Group. “And it’s mutually beneficial.”

“Collaboration is key for there to be lasting change”

From October last year, the arena implemented a year-round charity upsell of a minimum of £1 on all music events announced and held at the venue, as well as announcing an annual fundraiser event – the Swansea Arena House Party – which will feature a creative industries fair and workshops; the aim is to raise £20,000 from that event alone, with all ticket proceeds going directly to MVT.

Working together with other venues and organisations and being acutely aware of how vital audience awareness is, also lends a practical edge to the arena’s efforts. “Collaboration is key for there to be lasting change,” says Mart. With lack of late-night transport in South Wales a problem, they lobbied the government for more investment; they also lobbied about the lack of available and affordable outdoor poster sites for smaller venues.

And they’re keen on even simpler solutions, like sharing facilities, equipment, parking spaces, and general knowledge or expertise. “We are all in a WhatsApp group, so they [other local grassroots venues] know they can jump in and ask for or offer help where needed,” says Mart, all part of a plan to “make the most of the people being brought into the city.”

It’s been an extremely challenging decade for everyone involved in the arts, particularly grassroots music venues – not just in the UK but worldwide. Speak to people involved in the fight and they’ll tell you how frustrating the pace of change is and how reluctant those with power or influence can sometimes be to make it. “The closer we get to real long-term sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by the grassroots music ecosystem, the more defensive the music industry becomes about taking the action that is so obviously needed,” says Davyd.

“Music Venue Trust’s dogged determination and passion as advocates for grassroots venues serve as an inspiration for all of us”

But across the last decade, real strides have been made, and those campaigning for change remain filled with hope and determination – not least when they gaze upon the tireless dedication of MVT and what they’ve been able to achieve. “I’d give us a ten out of ten for determination to get things done,” says Davyd, “and I’d rate us a five or a six for getting it done quickly, but that’s the reality of trying to nudge a giant oil tanker like the music industry towards a more ethical and considered position.”

Just a man and his will to survive
Serving as an inspiration to others, what Davyd and MVT have done is best summed up by Michael Bracy, founder of the Music Policy Forum. “So much of what makes them so effective is their authenticity,” he says. “The Music Venue Trust’s dogged determination and passion as advocates for grassroots venues serve as an inspiration for all of us, and what may not be as visible is their remarkable generosity as collaborators and their eagerness to learn from others. They know they don’t have all the answers but are constantly in dialogue with other advocates and stakeholders from across the globe.”

“Mark Davyd is not just a pioneer, and he’s not just a visionary – he has changed the world with his work,” adds Erin Benjamin. “And if it weren’t for him and the Music Venue Trust, we would not be having these conversations.”

“That vision of what this network could be is achievable and could be delivered within a decade… if everyone just got behind it and did what they should be doing to make it a reality”

It’s a sentiment echoed by everyone IQ speaks to, but keenly aware of the battles – and difficulties – that lie ahead, all are focussed on creating a better, more sustainable future for grassroots venues and ensuring they don’t just survive but thrive. Music as we know it may depend upon it.

“The dream is a network of energy self-sufficient venues, benevolently owned by a not-for-profit entity, operated by a not-for-profit organisation, operating without Business Rates or VAT on tickets, housing accommodation that artists can use for free, with a fleet of electric vehicles that artists can travel in, and plugging into an excellent backline to perform on stages with the best available sound and lighting,” says Davyd of the MVT’s plans for the next decade. “That vision of what this network could be is achievable and could be delivered within a decade… if everyone just got behind it and did what they should be doing to make it a reality.”

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