Live music industry figures in Australia have launched a new not-for-profit organisation to represent the interests of grassroots music venues (GMVs).

The Australian Music Venue Foundation (AMVF), which takes its inspiration from UK-based Music Venue Trust, launches on the back of the government’s recent “Am I Ever Going to See You Live Again” report, which outlined the significant issues facing the live industry in Australia.

The AMVF acknowledges the report’s 20 recommendations, which include the development of an arena ticket levy, addressing the debilitating costs of rising venue insurance and access to venue-specific funding programs. The foundation says it believes that funding to address these recommendations must work for, and be delivered by, the industry who are at the forefront of the issues.

The organisation’s remit will be to engage all sectors of the music industry to focus on the need to support GMVs which, the body claims, “provide an essential pathway for emerging local and international artists, deliver significant economic and cultural benefit, and offer affordable access to music-loving fans in both regional and metropolitan areas”.

Chair of the Australian Live Music Business Council, Howard Adams, says: “We intend to raise funds from donations, strategic partnerships and further explore the potential implementation of the recently proposed arena ticket levy.”

“It is a focused approach that reflects what is happening in this field in larger jurisdictions. By aligning ourselves with offshore organisations such as the MVT in the UK, we increase our impact in the market as part of a larger movement, whilst benefiting from the economies of scale.”

“I’m excited that the AMVF will give all venue owners and operators the opportunity to consolidate efforts on what their real needs are”

The board of the new organisation will be: Harley Evans (Moshtix & AFA), Howard Adams (Australian Live Music Business Council), Tamara Boakes (Jive Bar Owner/Operator & ILVA), Mardi Caught (The Annex).

Adelaide’s Jive Bar owner-operator Boakes comments, “There has been much discourse over recent years about the needs of grassroots venues and the necessity to focus on supporting them. I’m excited that the AMVF will give all venue owners and operators the opportunity to consolidate efforts on what their real needs are alongside additional industry bodies to make real change.”

Mark Davyd, founder & CEO of Music Venue Trust, who is acting as an adviser to the AMVF, adds: “Grassroots music venues across the world are facing a series of shared challenges, from rising costs and poor legislation, to creeping gentrification and the decline in touring.

“We have demonstrated in the UK that real, positive change for these vital cultural spaces is possible, and we are delighted to be supporting AMVF as it begins the journey of making that change for Australia’s grassroots music ecosystem.”

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Australian collection society APRA AMCOS warns the country’s local live music scene remains “under serious threat”, despite the organisation reporting its highest group revenue to date.

Days after Live Performance Australia revealed live music attendance and revenue reached record highs last year, APRA AMCOS posted record annual takings of A$740 million (€456m) – up 7.2% from the previous financial year (1 July-30 June).

According to the body’s newly released 2023-24 Year in Review report, major concerts and festivals grew 8.4% to $37.4m (€23m), buoyed by tours by major global acts such as Taylor Swift and P!nk (digital was the biggest driver overall, accounting for almost 50% of the total). International revenue also reached an all-time high of $86.1m, up 22.5% year-on-year.

And a year after revealing that more than 1,300 venues had closed permanently since the start of the pandemic, there was positive news in a 19% increase in licensed live music venues, as new types of spaces entered the scene including small bars and breweries. However, numbers are still not back to pre-Covid levels and average licence fees are down 25%.

“We’re deeply concerned that an entire generation may miss out on seeing new and emerging acts perform live”

Furthermore, live music revenue is still below pre-pandemic levels, with artists losing out on an estimated A$600 million (€370m) in live earnings since 2019.

“This year, we’ve delivered strong revenue growth, investment in technology and the services that matter most to our members, together with our clear focus on advocacy,” says Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS. “We cannot, however, overlook the ongoing challenges facing the local live music sector at home. We’re deeply concerned that an entire generation may miss out on seeing new and emerging acts perform live, and that those acts may lose the chance to launch their careers if the decline in live music continues.

“That’s why we’re renewing our call on the Australian government to urgently implement a live music tax offset – a national catalyst to support existing and new live music venues. This will ensure we have stages for artists to play on and venues for audiences to see and hear their favourite artists and rising superstars.”

Elsewhere, concert revenue in New Zealand increased 9.6%, contributing to NZ Group revenue of nearly $70m.

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The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee has backed calls for a new arena and stadium ticket levy, plus tax relief, to safeguard UK grassroots music venues (GMVs).

The recommendations feature in a new report from the cross-party committee, which launched the inquiry at the Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) Venues Day in October 2023 and heard about the “cost of touring crisis” facing the sector, against a backdrop of small venues closing at a rate of two per week.

It says that a voluntary levy on arena and stadium concert tickets – as lobbied for by the MVT – would be the most feasible way to have an immediate impact on the business, creating a support fund for venues, artists and promoters, administered by a trust led by a sector umbrella body, and is appealing for the industry to ensure the levy cost is not passed on to music fans. In addition, it is calling for a temporary VAT cut based on venue capacity.

The conclusions have been warmly welcomed by bodies including the MVT, along with trade bodies LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), UK Music, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artists Coalition (FAC).

“These recommendations provide a clear pathway forward to a positive future for the UK’s grassroots music venues, a set of actions that are deliverable, affordable, and will genuinely have a positive impact on live music in communities right across the country,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “We look forward to working with the music industry and with the government to deliver on these recommendations as swiftly as possible.”

Davyd owns Tunbridge Wells Forum in Kent, which recently pledged to become the first venue in the UK to introduce a grassroots ticket levy. Throughout this month, £1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) Pipeline Fund at no additional expense to customers.

The MVT has described 2023 as the most challenging year for the sector since the trust was founded in 2014, as the number of GMVs falling from 960 to 835.

“It’s clear that the committee has recognised the many challenges faced by venues, promoters, events and artists at the grassroots level, and the steps required to address them”

“We would like to thank all the thousands of music fans that have supported our work across the last 10 years,” adds Davyd. “It has taken much longer than any of us would have liked to get the positive change we all wanted to see, but we could not have achieved this fantastic outcome without your continued support for your local live music venue.”

If there is no agreement by September, or if it fails to collect enough income to support the sector, the report says the government should step in an introduce a statutory levy.

“It’s clear that the committee has recognised the many challenges faced by venues, promoters, events and artists at the grassroots level, and the steps required to address them,” says LIVE CEO Jon Collins. “LIVE set out to the committee the actions we believe that the government needs to take to help unleash the economic potential of the sector, such as a reduction in the damaging and uncompetitive rate of VAT on tickets, as well as the actions that sit with us as an industry, notably the creation of a charitable arm, the LIVE Trust.

“We are pleased that the committee’s report addresses both of these matters positively and has entrusted our sector to implement the industry-led solution of a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets, gathering and distributing funding that will benefit the whole grassroots music ecosystem. We look forward to working with government on the review of VAT and regularly updating on our progress on the LIVE Trust.”

“Grassroots music venues are a crucial part of the music industry’s ecosystem and have been faced with a series of unprecedented threats for a number of years,” adds UK Music interim chief executive Tom Kiehl. “We welcome the House of Commons CMS Committee taking the opportunity to consider the challenges these venues and the artists that tour in them face.”

Artists and managers previously spoke out in favour of the MVT’s calls for a compulsory £1 levy on tickets sold for UK live music events above 5,000-cap during evidence sessions held in March.

“As the organisations representing artists and managers, we wholeheartedly endorse all the committee’s recommendations,” says a joint statement by FAC CEO David Martin and MMF chief executive Annabella Coldrick. “Most important is their recognition of the ‘cost of touring crisis’, and that the benefits of a ticket levy must flow down to artists, managers, and independent promoters – as well as to grassroots music venues. The entire ecosystem needs support. While we still believe this mechanism should be mandatory, the clock is now ticking to get a process in place before September 2024.”

“The ongoing wave of closures is not just a disaster for music, performers and supporters in local communities up and down the country, but also puts at risk the entire live music ecosystem”

Among the report’s other recommendations are for the government and Arts Council to make it easier for the live music sector to apply for public funding and for stakeholders across the industry to continue to support the FAC’s campaign to end punitive fees on artists’ merchandise.

“We are also delighted to see the committee endorse the 100% Venues campaign, and hope this will trigger action from the UK’s largest live music venues to overhaul outdated practices on merchandise commissions,” continue Martin and Coldrick. “The sale of T-shirts, vinyl and other physical products represent a crucial income stream for artists. It is only fair that they should retain the bulk of that revenue.”

In closing, the report also calls for a comprehensive fan-led review to be set be set up this summer to examine the long-term challenges to the wider live music ecosystem.

“We are grateful to the many dedicated local venues who gave up their time to take part in our inquiry,” says Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, chair of the CMS Committee. “They delivered the message loud and clear that grassroots music venues are in crisis. The ongoing wave of closures is not just a disaster for music, performers and supporters in local communities up and down the country, but also puts at risk the entire live music ecosystem.

“If the grassroots, where musicians, technicians, tour managers and promoters hone their craft, are allowed to wither and die, the UK’s position as a music powerhouse faces a bleak future. To stem the overwhelming ongoing tide of closures, we urgently need a levy on arena and stadium concert tickets to fund financial support for the sector, alongside a VAT cut to help get more shows into venues.

“While the current focus is on the many grassroots music venues falling silent, those working in the live music sector across the board are also under extraordinary strain. It is time that the government brought together everyone with a stake in the industry’s success, including music fans, to address the long-term challenges and ensure live music can thrive into the future.”

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The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is calling on the government to provide emergency support for endangered venues, festivals and events.

In advance of next month’s federal budget, the group warns that independently-operated and non-profit venues and festivals continue to endure a host of challenges – to the detriment of emerging talent.

“These stages are key to artist development and growth, and the urgency has never been greater for these small businesses and organisations as they endure ongoing impacts of the pandemic and rising inflation,” says the CLMA. “Cost of goods and services have nearly tripled, and labour shortages and supply chain issues compound to threaten the ability of many to remain operational.

“Without smaller spaces for artists to grow, the sustainability of Canada’s live music sector is uncertain. So too are the well-known benefits to tourism, job creation, private sector investment, and access to artistic performances that improve our mental and physical well-being, and change our lives.”

“The future of live music and live performance, and the careers of artists, are at great risk”

Canada’s national industry association is appealing to the federal government to increase funding through the Canada Music Fund, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) and the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) programme as part of the 2024 budget.

“By taking action today, the federal government can help to ensure our sector can continue to help support artists – especially emerging artists – provide places for musicians to perform, create transformative experiences for audiences, and confidently impact all Canadians – economically, socially and culturally,” adds the organisation.

“The future of live music and live performance, and the careers of artists, are at great risk. The CLMA cannot stress enough. Now is the time for this government to address these three vital programmes with permanent funding increases.”

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The Music Venue Trust (MVT) says that “enough is enough” after revealing that 2023 was the worst year for UK venue closures since its launch a decade ago.

The organisation, which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues (GMVs), reveals that 125 GMVs (16%) closed last year – a rate of two per week – with 38% of venues reporting a loss in 2023, according to its newly published annual report.

The remaining 835 members of the Music Venue Alliance (MVA) staged over 187,000 events last year, with 1.7m individual artist performances attracting audience visits of over 23.5m. However, despite generating over £500m in revenues, GMVs made just £2.5m or 0.5% profit for the period.

“2023 was the worst year for venue closures since Music Venue Trust launched ten years ago,” says Beverley Whitrick, COO of Music Venue Trust. “We are still losing on average two venues a week and those that have survived are now consumed by threats to their continued existence that they have no chance of overcoming without immediate help. Without external support our entire sector would be bankrupt.

“We have been warning of these consequences for the last six years yet still the top end of the live music sector posts record profits while, with a few notable exceptions, turning a blind eye to those who discover, nurture and develop the artists that generate that revenue for them.”

“Enough is enough, this report speaks for itself and we will not allow this to continue”

The report, which can be accessed here, also details how the whole sector would have operated at a loss during the period without grants and donations totalling £3.1m from sources including MVT’s own Pipeline Investment Fund, as well as Arts Council England and other bodies.

In total, the amount that GMVs are subsidising live music rose from £79m in 2022 to £115m in 2023 – a 45% increase over the previous 12 months.

With high energy prices and rent increases averaging 37%, 164 member venues accessed the MVT Emergency Response Service which, for the first time since the organisation’s launch a decade ago, found that the primary cause of venue closure was a lack of financial viability.

“Enough is enough, this report speaks for itself and we will not allow this to continue,” adds MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “We must either find a way to act collectively to get these venues and the artists who rely on them the financial support they need to survive or we will seek legislation to compel it.”

The report notes a “distinct contrast” between the profit margins of venues based on their geographical locations, with those in bigger towns being more profitable. Venues in areas with populations under 200,000 reporting an average loss of -2.55%, compared to a 1.7% profit margin in more populated areas.

“We can no longer accept complacency from those in a position to help prevent the annihilation of our sector”

Additionally, venues with a total turnover of less than £500,000 were more likely to have a negative profit margin (averaging -0.5%) compared to those with turnovers exceeding £500,000 (averaging 3%),

Davyd repeats the MVT’s call for a compulsory £1 levy on tickets sold for UK live music events above 5,000 capacity.

“The idea that we, as an industry, cannot voluntarily create a levy to support our grassroots sector, unilaterally and without government intervention is absurd but we cannot escape the fact that we are simply not acting fast enough,” adds Davyd. “For that reason, Music Venue Trust is asking all of the main political parties for manifesto commitments ahead of the forthcoming General Election that state that there must be a contribution from the most successful parts of our industry into the grassroots research and development carried out on their behalf.

“It’s time to stop the excuses – we can no longer accept complacency from those in a position to help prevent the annihilation of our sector.”

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A coalition of nightclubs and concert venues have formed the Estonian Nightlife Association in response to the myriad of challenges facing the circuit, amid the impending closure of Tallinn venue Sveta Bar.

Sveta Bar, which will shut down on 1 January, launched in the Telliskivi district in 2017 and developed into one of the best known nightspots in the city. The award-winning space became part of the Liveurope venue network and has been a staple of showcase festival Tallinn Music Week.

Noting that tourism in Estonia is at its lowest level since 2010, Sveta co-founder Luke Teetsov-Faulkner explains the bar’s closure was mainly due to a combination of economic factors, including “the Covid-19 crisis, energy and economic crises, restrictions and laws, war, gentrification and higher prices for absolutely everything”.

Sveta’s plight is said to be a sad reflection of the predicament faced by many promoters and nightspots in the country at present.

“Having interacted with various venues, I can confidently say that Sveta is not the only one in this situation,” said Sveta Bar partner Roman Demtšenk, speaking on Estonian TV programme Terevisioon. “Maybe there will be more news coming of other clubs also having to close their doors.”

“Our first priority is to make ourselves known and to make our voice heard”

In a bid to improve the state of affairs, the newly formed Estonian Nightlife Association (Eesti Ööelu Liit) will serve as the representative organisation for businesses in the sector.

“For years we’ve been working mostly independently, but with the situation being as it is and a new tax hike on the way, the only appropriate response is to truly collectivise and come together, to fight for ourselves so live music and club culture can exist and thrive in Estonia,” says Elena Natale, the founder of Tallinn’s HALL club.

“Our first priority is to make ourselves known and to make our voice heard. When it comes to policy, our goal is to achieve a tax differentiation for live music venues and nightclubs. The upcoming VAT tax hike that takes it up to 22% is one of, if not the highest in Europe for cultural endeavours.”

Over the last six years, Sveta has presented a diverse programme of club and live acts, including Boy Harsher, Molchat Doma, SHXCXCHCXSH, UNIIQU3, Umru, Lebanon Hanover, A Place To Bury Strangers, Shortparis, Author & Punisher, Xiu Xiu, HEALTH, She Past Away, Die Selektion, Pablo Bozzi, Bored Lord and Boris.

“It is hard to imagine TMW 2024 without Sveta. It is hard to think of Tallinn without Sveta”

“Music venues like Sveta, are the cornerstone of contemporary music life, by providing regular work to artists and the sector,” says Shiftworks founder and Tallinn Music Week organiser Helen Sildna.

“To grant a diverse music life, we need to identify key players, who nurture careers in music from week-to-week. No question that art will reach its audience through galleries and museums, orchestras and theatre at concert and theatre halls. Music clubs will need a similar status of their own – to be recognised as irreplaceable spaces for musicians and audiences to grow together.”

Sildna continues: “It is hard to imagine TMW 2024 without Sveta. It is hard to think of Tallinn without Sveta. Building a brand, finding an audience, developing a scene and taking care of music culture, as they did, is a deeply unique work of risk-taking, commitment and curatorial smarts.

“I welcome the initiative of Estonian Nightlife Association, as only by joining forces and making our case heard and understood, can we be better in future at safeguarding these beacons that hold together the unique fabric of our diverse music culture.”

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The NSW government is launching its first “live music audit” to help revive the region’s concert scene after it was revealed the Australian state has lost half its music venues over the past decade.

Aiming to ensure the survival of the remaining 137 venues, it is conducting a survey of music industry professionals in a bid to build a picture of the challenges faced and identify possible solutions.

Launched during Australian music month, the anonymous survey forms part of a wider research project that will combine economic analysis, venue mapping data and audience research to inform the government’s first ever strategic policy for contemporary music.

“The NSW government is committed to reviving live music across NSW,” says minister for music John Graham. “The last decade of lockouts and lockdowns has led to a grassroots music venue crisis in this state. We know the live music sector is facing many challenges, and this research will help identify from firsthand experience of musicians and industry participants themselves what those challenges are.”

“Sound NSW will develop and deliver the state’s first-ever 10-year contemporary music strategy”

The move follows the recent launch of Sound NSW, a dedicated government office committed to the growth, development and promotion of contemporary music.

“Sound NSW’s mission is to see a new era when NSW’s musicians, live music venues and festivals can thrive, creating greater job opportunities, injecting vibrancy to our state, and exporting NSW-grown music across Australia and to the world,” says Sound NSW acting head Emily Collins. “The data and insights from the Live Music Survey will help us better understand and support venues.”

She adds: “Following the launch of the NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries policy later this year, Sound NSW will develop and deliver the state’s first-ever 10-year contemporary music strategy. This is about bringing a cohesive and coherent government approach to growing the sector.”

Collection society APRA AMCOS recently warned that Australia’s live music’s scene had reached “crisis point”, with more than 1,300 venues having closed permanently nationwide since the start of the pandemic.

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Australia’s live music’s scene has reached “crisis point” after it was revealed that more than 1,300 venues closed permanently since the start of the pandemic.

The sobering statistics were laid bare in collection society APRA AMCOS’ 2022/23 Year in Review report, which warns that emerging artists now have “markedly fewer places to perform, hone their performance skills and develop an audience and fanbase”.

Nightclub crowds have also almost halved since 2019 – down to 1.6 million clubbers from over 2.8m pre-Covid.

“There remains considerable concern regarding the decimated venue-based live music market,” says the organisation’s CEO Dean Ormston. “We have lost more than 1,300 live music venues and stages across Australia and crowds at nightclubs have almost halved than prior to the start of the pandemic.

“We are lobbying state and territory governments to legislate for the establishment of special entertainment precincts to foster and protect new and existing live music venues. We are also calling on the Australian government to commit to a live music venue tax offset to act as a catalyst in jump-starting live music nationally.”

Speaking to the Guardian, Ormston adds: “The market has been decimated and we’re asking the government to look at this with some urgency. It really is a simple ask, it’s affordable and it will absolutely jumpstart businesses presenting live music on a national basis, and that’s what we need. We can’t wait for years and years for venues to organically come back online, we need something more immediate than that.

“Pubs and clubs are really where Australian bands get to cut their teeth, develop their own audiences, build their own profile and fan base and develop their own careers. With so many venues now lost, it’s absolutely a crisis point. We need an intervention.”

Despite the mounting concerns, the APRA AMCOS Australia and NZ Group reported an otherwise strong financial year, with revenue up 12% year-on-year to an all-time high of A$690.5 million (€411m).

Notable tours mentioned in the report include Ed Sheeran Elton John and Harry Styles

In addition, revenue from major concerts and festivals jumped 400% in the period – the first full post-Covid year – which covers July 2022 to June 2023. Excluding concerts and events, public performance revenue – increased 23.5% to $87.8m, while the society’s membership has now grown to more than 119,000.

Notable tours mentioned in the report include Ed Sheeran Elton John and Harry Styles; Rufus Du Sol, Crowded House, L.A.B. and SIX60, as well as festivals Listen Out, Laneway and Knotfest.

Meanwhile, Sounds Australia executive producer Millie Millgate has been named as the inaugural director of national music development agency Music Australia.

Music Australia was established by the Australian government as part of Creative Australia to support and promote Australian contemporary music and develop the industry’s markets and audiences.

“I’ve worked with Millie Millgate for nearly 15 years and watched her develop and evolve the music export programme Sounds Australia from an idea and a blank piece of paper to an internationally recognised and admired music export office,” adds Ormston.

“I’m so excited for Millie, and for the industry, that she’ll be heading up Music Australia. Millie has big ideas, a big heart, the respect of the industry, and the drive and determination to make big things happen. Millie’s appointment as the inaugural head of the agency is a testament to her dedication and vision over many years.”

Veteran promoter Michael Chugg was appointed to the Music Australia Council earlier this year.

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UK grassroots venues are closing at a rate of more than one a week, resulting in 4,000 job losses across the sector over the past year, according to the Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) latest annual survey.

The charity reports that 78 premises have permanently closed over the last 12 months, with dozens more premises also no longer operating as a grassroots music venue.

Further knock-on effects from the 15.7% decline in live music spaces have included the loss of 14,250 events, 193,230 performance opportunities, £9 million (€10.35m) of musician income and £59m of economic activity.

In response to the alarming findings, the MVT, which represents almost 900 UK grassroots music venues (GMVs), is calling on the UK government to extend business rate relief for its members.

“The current business rates system is anachronistic, inconsistent, and outdated and fails to meet the principles of good tax design,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “The UK government is currently conducting a consultation on wider reforms but the solutions they have so far proposed are in no way radical enough to redress fundamental inequalities that will lead to many more venue closures.”

“The government could throw a vital lifeline to GMVs already holding onto survival by their fingertips”

Sunak created a 50% rate relief specific to GMVs in January 2020 following lobbying from the MVT and others. It was subsequently zero rated for the entire retail, hospitality, and leisure sector as a result of the pandemic, with further concessions extended across these sectors in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

While the sector currently enjoys a 75% business rate relief as a result, it was recently announced that this is to end in April 2024, which the MVT calculates would impose an additional £15m of costs on the circuit.

“We are already losing GMVs at a catastrophic rate, which has had a knock-on effect of 4,000 jobs losses, the removal of 14,250 live music events and 193,230 performance opportunities for musicians, £9m of musician income and £59m of economic activity,” adds Davyd. “By extending business rates relief past next April the government could throw a vital lifeline to GMVs already holding onto survival by their fingertips.”

The main causes put forward for the permanent closures include the economic and logistical impacts of the pandemic; debt and bankruptcy resulting from energy prices, business rates, supply costs, or rent; financially unviable trading conditions; noise abatement orders and unachievable licence renewal terms.

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Printworks London is set be given a reprieve from closure after developer British Land said it would work “to explore retaining a cultural venue” as part of its Canada Water scheme.

Operated by event production firm Vibration Group and programmed by Broadwick Live, the acclaimed nightclub and events venue opened in January 2017, leased from British Land.

The 6,000-cap venue looked set to close after Southwark Council gave the go-ahead for it to be converted into offices earlier this year, despite close to 700 objections and a petition signed by more than 11,000 people protesting Printworks’ closure.

However, an agreement is now being finalised for the venue continue to operate in the SE16 scheme, even after the redevelopment is completed.

“We’re pleased to confirm that I partnership with British Land we’re in detailed talks about our return to our much-loved venue”

A statement from the Printworks team reads: “We’re pleased to confirm that in partnership with British Land we’re in detailed talks about our return to our much-loved venue.

“While there is still a detailed planning process that needs to take place before we can 100% confirm the future of Printworks, we’re positive about our future.”

It continues: “At this point, we can confirm that the venue will close in the new year for a number of years during a period of modernisation as planned.

“As a team, we’re committed to preserving the essence of the iconic Press Halls and retaining the spirit that we’ve all come to love, so we are working hard in partnership with British Land on designs that only seek to elevate the space.”

“I’m delighted that Broadwick Live and British Land are working together to develop the next chapter for Printworks”

“I’m delighted that Broadwick Live and British Land are working together to develop the next chapter for Printworks,” says London’s Night Czar, Amy Lamé. “This fantastic temporary venue has become a major destination that attracts some of the biggest names in electronic music and visitors from all over the world. I will keep working with them and offer all the support we can to secure an exciting future for the venue.”

Printworks London comprises multiple performance spaces in a 16-acre former newspaper printworks in London’s Docklands, and has hosted acts such as Skepta, Gorillaz and Seth Troxler, as well as events including the BBC Proms,  but its use as a cultural space was previously intended to be temporary.

“It is noted that a significant number of objections have been received in respect of the loss of the club/music venue currently operating on the site,” said a council report in July. “It is acknowledged that this use has been very successful. However, the events use was initiated as a short term interim use in 2016 pending development of the building within the masterplan. It was never intended to be a permanent use of the site.”

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