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.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The UK government has 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.

Published in May, the CMS report recommended an arena-level levy, administered by a trust led by a sector umbrella body, to be put in place “before September 2024” to safeguard grassroots venues. But it is yet to come to pass despite acts including Coldplay, Sam Fender and Enter Shikari having each pledged donations.

Nevertheless, ministers say they now expect the sector to take forward proposals for a voluntary levy, which they want to come into effect as soon as possible.

The response stopped short of committing the Government to a statutory backstop, instead pledging to use its “convening power” to generate an industry-led solution.

The Government refused to accept the Select Committee’s recommendation that it should institute a fan-led review of music and also knocked back the long-requested VAT reduction, called for both by industry and the Select Committee.

Trumpeting it as “one of the UK’s most valuable and yet undervalued cultural assets”, creative industries minister Sir Chris Bryant said the rest of the touring business will “wither” without a “flourishing” grassroots scene.

“These venues support thousands of jobs and are a vital part of our local communities,” he said. “It is crucial that we work together to support the grassroots including venues, festivals, artists and promoters. That is why I am urging the industry voluntarily to introduce a ticket levy on the biggest commercial players, to help ensure the health and future success of our entire live music industry for decades to come.”

“The lack of a firm deadline for movement risks allowing matters to drift”

The CMS Committee has welcomed the stance, but has called for ministers to set a clear deadline for the industry to act before the government intervenes. It adds that if no significant progress is made, it will hold a hearing with the sector in six months’ time.

“The sheer number of venues in our local communities being forced to shut up shop each week has hammered home the stark reality of the struggles facing artists, promoters and others working in grassroots music,” says CMS Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP. “There are warnings of an even gloomier future.

“While the government has dialled up the volume on the message that swift action on a levy is needed from the bigger players who pack out arenas and stadiums, the lack of a firm deadline for movement risks allowing matters to drift.

“Without healthy roots, the entire live music ecosystem suffers, so it is vital that the wider industry recognises the urgency of coming up with a scheme to direct a proportion of profits back to where many careers began. The committee will keep banging the drum to make sure both the industry and government plays it part in protecting our live performance ecosystem.”

“The message is clear – get around the table and get this done or expect a statutory levy”

The current activity follows years of lobbying from the Music Venue Trust (MVT) for a compulsory £1 levy on tickets sold for UK live music events above 5,000 capacity, amid the “cost of touring crisis” facing the circuit.

“The government’s response is so robust and unequivocal in its support for our grassroots music venues, artists and promoters, that it is now a question of how and when the grassroots ticketing contribution from stadium and arenas is enacted, and not if,” says the MVT. “The ball is firmly in the court of the music industry to quickly and voluntarily establish the mechanisms for delivering the grassroots ticketing contribution.”

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.

“We are glad government has entrusted our sector to play our part in addressing the crisis in grassroots music,” adds LIVE CEO Jon Collins. “Driving forward an industry-led solution to the challenges currently being experienced by venues, artists, festivals and promoters remains our number one priority.

“Alongside government’s work to deliver an improved trading environment, we are accelerating our work on the development of the LIVE Trust and associated funding to help distribute money to the places it’s needed most.”

“Everyone knows grassroots live music is in crisis. The current situation is untenable”

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, emphasised that any fund created needed to support the whole range of live music professionals.

“It is crucial that this approach remains ecosystem-led, considering the broader spectrum of creatives, technicians, and professionals who make up the live music sector,” he says.

“We must ensure these measures benefit not just the venues but also the full range of associated creatives and support roles that underpin the industry. By working together—industry leaders, government, and fans alike—we can create a sustainable future for live music, preserving local venues and fostering a vibrant, diverse music culture across the UK.”

Last month, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Musicians’ Union (MU) penned a joint open letter calling for a blanket ticket levy.

“Everyone knows grassroots live music is in crisis,” says MMF CEO Annabella Coldrick in response to the government’s statement. “The current situation is untenable. Every week I hear from music managers trying to do the impossible and bridge catastrophic shortfalls in their artists touring budgets. A ticket levy on all large-scale live music events to support touring artists at this level to get out on the road remains the most practical solution. It is now imperative that we in the industry stand up and deliver it.”

Elsewhere, Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO John Rostron backed the government’s response, but expressed his disappointment that it was not exploring different models of VAT including lower levels of VAT on grassroots music activity, such as a reduction of VAT on festival ticket sales to 5%.

“We reject the idea that any reduction would need to be funded,” says Rostron. “Venues and festivals are closing and will continue to do so. With lower VAT, many would remain open and make a positive contribution to HM Treasury and revenue collection.

“It must be emphasised that the relationship between festivals and grassroots music venues is highly interlinked. Audiences, artists, promoters and crew flow in and out of these spaces as one, creating opportunities, driving creativity and developing talent.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Music Venue Trust (MVT) CEO Mark Davyd has thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the live business to follow Coldplay’s lead in pledging their support to grassroots music venues (GMVs).

It was announced yesterday that Coldplay have pledged that 10% of proceeds from their European exclusive 2025 UK stadium dates in London and Hull will be donated to the MVT to help fund its work.

Davyd tells IQ the gesture should serve as a powerful statement to the wider sector.

“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,” says Davyd. “I can’t think of a bigger message than that for our industry.”

The MVT has lobbied for a compulsory £1 levy on tickets sold for UK live music events above 5,000 capacity since 2018, although Davyd points out that Coldplay’s pledge goes above and beyond that.

“£1 per ticket on arena and stadium shows would be enough to make a radical difference to grassroots artists, venues and promoters”

“One pound per ticket on arena and stadium shows would be enough to make a radical difference to grassroots artists, venues and promoters,” he says. “If people want to do more than that, then of course we can find ways to improve things even faster. But it’s a very simple formula: once things are successful, let’s just make sure that everybody’s sharing in the success.

“Who doesn’t want to invest in the future of the industry in the way the Coldplay are doing? We are elated by it frankly, because we’ve been crying out for somebody to take the lead.”

Back in May, the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee backed calls for a new arena and stadium ticket levy, plus tax relief, to safeguard UK GMVs. The recommendations featured in a report from the cross-party committee, which launched the inquiry at the MVT’s 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 concluded that a voluntary levy on arena and stadium concert tickets 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. The MVT is awaiting the government’s response to the recommendations.

“It is really about what their reaction to the CMS select committee report will be, and what the rest of the live industry is now going to do,” remarks Davyd. “Let’s make reinvesting into our future prosperity, and reinvesting into live music communities, a standard part of what we do.

“Coldplay have gone out of the limb here and said, ‘Music happening in our towns and cities matters, and should be supported.’ Does anybody in the industry disagree with that? If so, give them my number so I can tell them what I think. Genuinely, it’s an amazing statement and we can’t thank the band and their management enough.”

“The closure of music venues – not just in the UK, but everywhere in the world – is a huge issue for national and local government”

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 (London’s Wembley Stadium and Hull’s Craven Park) and the official ticket agents (Ticketmaster, See Tickets and AXS).

“Everybody involved is getting behind it and donating money into Music Venue Trust so that we can get it out to the grassroots ecosystem,” adds Davyd. “What a brilliant example that is. Why don’t we just do that all the time? I think sometimes in our industry, we get confused and try and make these things more complicated than they are.

“Look, the closure of music venues – not just in the UK, but everywhere in the world – is a huge issue for national and local governments. Bath Moles closing [in December 2023] was a massive issue and is still a local hot potato, because people can’t quite believe it was allowed to happen. We, as an industry, should be thinking about that because I promise you, if we don’t get it right, if we don’t take this example of what Coldplay and the companies around them have done and it doesn’t become normal, we should damn well expect the government will eventually get fed up and make it normal for us.”

The Coldplay agreement marks the latest milestone for the organisation, which announced the first acquisition under its Own Our Venues scheme in 2023 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Looking back on the MVT’s first decade, Davyd reflects:  “I was just annoyed that people were closing down venues that I go and have a good time in; now all this has happened! I’m super-proud of the work we’ve done and I’m not arrogant about it – I know how much support we’ve had.

“Did I think I’d be talking 10 years later about how Coldplay have done this amazing thing? Obviously not, but to be honest, I thought we would have got this sorted a long time before. But if that’s what it takes – the biggest band in the world saying that this is important – then let’s go from that point and build something that’s really sustainable.”

Revisit IQ‘s 2024 feature about the Music Venue Trust’s decade of defiance here.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The UK’s Music Venue Trust (MVT) has announced details of the 10th anniversary edition of its annual Venues Day.

The event will take place at Woolwich Works in London on Tuesday 8 October.

MVT, which represents over 850 UK grassroots music venues (GMVs), has held Venues Day – the largest gathering of GMV professionals in the world – since 2014, with representatives attending from venues, promoters, agents, artists, government departments, funding bodies and ancillary service providers.

Headline sponsors Ticketmaster with support from Fred Perry have also allowed Venues Day 2024 to offer subsidised delegate passes and travel bursaries to ensure that venue representatives from across the UK can attend.

Eschewing a specific ‘theme’, Venues Day’s 10th anniversary will instead focus on the broader importance of artists to the sector, in addition to providing the opportunity to reflect on progress made over the previous 12 months and the ongoing challenges facing the market.

“This year we want to recognise and celebrate the artist community without whom we wouldn’t exist and for whom we continue to strive”

“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Venues Day there is much to reflect on and much to look forward to,” says MVT COO Beverley Whitrick. “This year we want to recognise and celebrate the artist community without whom we wouldn’t exist and for whom we continue to strive and we look forward to welcoming our colleagues from grassroots music venues around the UK.

“Venues Day is always an opportunity for us all to meet old friends, share experiences and remind each other that whilst we have all had to endure some very dark days and weather some major storms in recent years we are still here, we are still strong and we remain defiant.”

Further information on speakers, panels and other activities at Venues Day 2024 will be announced in the near future.

Tickets for Venues Day 2024: The 10th Anniversary Edition are available here.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The NSW government in Australia is implementing new regulations around noise complaints to protect venues as part of its efforts to rebuild Sydney’s night-time economy.

The suite of measures, which came into effect on 1 July, makes whether the licensed venue or the complainant occupied their premises first a central consideration. The party established first will be “favoured” when determining such complaints, preventing incoming residents restricting the output or operating hours of already established venues.

“The old NSW sport of moving in next to a music venue and complaining until it gets shut down, is now history,” says NSW government minister for music and the night-time economy John Graham. “That era is coming to an end.”

In addition, the government’s Venues Unlocked package will deliver grants that support new and existing venues to host more live gigs without further impacting neighbours through Soundproofing Grants and Live Performance Venue grants.

Soundproofing Grants will support 21 new and existing venues with up to A$100,000 (€62,000) to help them achieve best-practice soundproofing and sound management, while Live Performance Venue grants will support 56 venues with up to $80,000 for essential equipment, programming and marketing costs.

“We are enabling venues to expand their offerings, while also supporting new music venues to get their performance programming off the ground”

“The soundproofing and venue support will mean venues can host more live music, whilst reducing the impact on their neighbours,” adds Graham. “Bit by bit, we are rebuilding Sydney’s night-time economy, venue by venue, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

“We made a commitment to increase the number of live music venues across NSW and through ongoing reform and the Venues Unlocked grant programmes we are enabling venues to expand their offerings, while also supporting new music venues to get their performance programming off the ground.”

It follows the recent publication of the first-of-its-kind State of the Scene report by Sound NSW, a dedicated government office committed to the growth, development and promotion of contemporary music, which illustrated the full landscape of the live music ecosystem across the state.

“We know through the recent State of the Scene report that there are 795 venues across NSW that offer live music – so this is a great start to supporting venues in a real and tangible way and to help them navigate the challenges of operating in NSW,” says Emily Collins, head of Sound NSW.

The NSW government launched its first “live music audit” last year 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.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Frank Turner is bidding to set the official Music Venue Trust (MVT) world record for the most concerts played in different cities within 24 hours.

The British singer-songwriter and MVT patron has 15 shows scheduled across UK grassroots venues between 12.30pm on Saturday 4 May to 12.30pm on Sunday 5 May. The 500-mile undertaking is due to start at Liverpool’s Jacaranda and conclude at The Brook in Southampton, with all gigs to last a minimum of 20 minutes.

The attempt, which is designed to support grassroots venues and independent record stores across the country, has been timed to celebrate the release of Turner’s upcoming 10th album, Undefeated, which drops on 3 May. Several dates have already sold out.

“With nearly 3,000 shows under my belt, I’ve never been one to do things by halves or shirk a challenge – I once played all 50 American states in 50 days, for goodness sake,” says Turner. “It’s not just self-promotion either. We’re working with 13 independent record shops and 15 independent grassroots music venues for the shows, highlighting two bits of the infrastructure of the underground that I care about most. It’s going to be tough, but hopefully fun too. Come down for a show!”

“Frank will be criss-crossing the nation hitting some of the country’s finest grassroots music venues for an action-packed day”

The official record is currently held by Hunter Hayes, who performed 10 shows in 10 cities in 24 hours in 2014.

Transport between Turner’s shows is being provided by sponsor FREENOW. The taxi app launched the Ride For Music initiative in 2023, which donates £1 from every ride to the Pipeline Investment Fund (PIF) – a grant-giving fund established by MVT with the support of the Music Venues Alliance.

“We are delighted to support Frank Turner’s attempt to set the official Music Venue Trust world record for the most gigs played in 24 hours,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “With the help of FREENOW black cabs, Frank will be criss-crossing the nation hitting some of the country’s finest grassroots music venues for an action-packed day which promises to set the global standard for dedication to live music.”

Turner’s full itinerary is as follows:

Saturday 4 May

12.30pm – Liverpool, Jacaranda – instore

2.30pm – Huddersfield, Parish – outstore for Vinyl Tap

4pm – Leeds, Boom – outstore for Crash

6pm – Sheffield, The Foundry – outstore for Bear Tree

7.30pm – Chesterfield, Gasoline – outstore for Tailbird

9pm – Nottingham, Saltbox – outstore for Rough Trade

10.30pm – Birmingham, RMBL – outstore for Eclipse Records

Sunday May 5

12am – Leamington Spa, Temperance – outstore for Head

2am – Leighton Buzzard, Crooked Crow Bar – outstore for Black Circle Records

4am – London, Underworld – outstore for Rough Trade

6am – Kingston, Banquet Records

7.30am – Aldershot, West End Centre – outstore for 101 Collectors

9am – Portsmouth, Staggeringly Good Brewery – outstore for Pie & Vinyl

10.30am – Winchester – The Railway – outstore for Pie & Vinyl

12pm – Southampton, The Brook – outstore for Vinilio

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

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.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The Snug is a grassroots music venue hidden away in the heart of Atherton, Greater Manchester [UK], and for years, we have championed new and emerging artists.

We created a place that welcomes everybody, and we cater for all. Our 100-capacity, distinctively cosy living-room-style space invites the world to come in, grab a brew or a beer and relax whilst appreciating those future up-and-coming household names.

Unfortunately, our landlord put the building up for sale, and with the impact of Covid, [it sadly] meant we weren’t in a position to purchase our beloved Snug, so we turned to Music Venue Trust for advice. This was fortunate, as they were just about to launch the Own Our Venues project. We were then accepted into their pilot scheme along with eight other shortlisted venues all at risk of closure. The number of venues that applied to be part of the pilot scheme highlights how real the problems are in the grassroots music venue community.

We are overjoyed that The Snug has become the first of many grassroots music venues to be put into a protective trust with Music Venue Properties [MVP]. Delightfully, the news went viral, and we cannot express the positive impact this development has had in the local area and beyond. As further venues come under the protection of the Music Venue Trust, they will hopefully also achieve the same results and positive impact in their areas.

The protection of grassroots music venues like The Snug, offers the space to nurture local talent but also provides a platform for varied work experience for local young people interested in the music industry. The security this provides us furthers our sense of community, and the pride of ownership in our venue is immeasurable.

“Who will headline festivals when the Rolling Stones have left the planet? Let’s not forget, the Rolling Stones started in grassroots music venues”

The MVP model needs to be adopted in every country in the world. It’s heartbreaking to read how many venues have already closed and how many more are in immediate danger of closing, being lost forever. The move to protective ownership is nothing short of a revolution; a real-life story of what can be achieved when a community rallies behind its cultural treasures.

Other communities and cities can look at MVP and see a model worth building and investing in. The message is clear: grassroots music venues are not for sale to greedy commercial landlords who don’t care what the business is, as long as they can squeeze more rent from tenants while spending little to no money on maintaining or improving the buildings.

We have to ‘own our venues,’ they are the research and development departments for the future of music. They are cultural treasures for everyone. For creative people to flourish and spaces for musicians to hone their craft, obtain feedback from audiences, network with other local musicians, make new friends, or even sell merchandise to fund recording-studio time.

Grassroots music venues are essential to a thriving ecosystem of the music industry. Without these venues, there will be no more stars of tomorrow. Who will be playing the arenas in 30 years’ time? Who will be the future stars to inspire the younger generations? Who will headline festivals when the Rolling Stones have left the planet? Let’s not forget, the Rolling Stones started in grassroots music venues.

Imagine a world without music, where the next generation of musical talent has nowhere to grow and develop. This is what will happen if our grassroots music venues are not protected. The world can learn from The Snug’s journey, by realising that cultural preservation is a collective responsibility and that grassroots music venues deserve to stand the test of time.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Ticketmaster is launching a charity upsell option for the UK’s Music Venue Trust (MVT) to coincide with its sponsorship of this month’s Venues Day.

The upsell, which will launch on Venues Day (17 October) and run for an entire month, means that anyone purchasing a ticket on Ticketmaster will be given the option to make a donation directly to MVT.

The initiative will run annually, with Ticketmaster pledging to match all donations received.

“This upsell provides a practical method for fans to support grassroots music venues, and we are incredibly grateful to the Ticketmaster team for putting it in place,” MVT CEO Mark Davyd tells IQ. “Ticketmaster matching all fan donations is a powerful message for the whole industry about the support our sector needs and the will of the music community to provide it.”

The move follows Ticketmaster’s booking fee rebate launched in 2021, where venues receive a 50% rebate on all booking fees. The ticketing company has been headline sponsor of Venues Day since 2016.

“Ticketmaster has been a long-term and committed partner of MVT, and their core support has been vital in developing us as the authentic voice of grassroots venues, artists and fans,” says Davyd.

The music charity’s annual Venues Day event will take place at The Fireworks Factory in London next Tuesday 17 October. Hundreds of delegates from across the UK’s grassroots music venue (GMV) sector, representing venues throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have already booked their places at the event.

“We need a radical intervention by everyone: the government, the music industry, artists and fans, to stop these closures”

This year’s theme, ‘Behind the Scenes’, covers workshops, discussions, presentations and networking to offer practical support to the people running venues and connect them with services that can help them.

“This year’s Venues Day is bigger than ever, with more venues attending, more delegates, more partners, and more on offer,” says Davyd. “Our goal is to match the size of the event with the size of ambitions for what is delivered on the day, and what we can bring to the sector.”

Last week saw the UK organisation announce the first acquisition under its Own Our Venues scheme. The Snug (cap. 100) in Atherton, Greater Manchester, became the first GMV to be bought by Music Venue Properties (MVP), the independent Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) created by the MVT.

Own Our Venues was launched as a crowdfunded project in June 2022 as the first step in a long-term campaign to take control of the freeholds of music venue premises and bring them under a protected status of benevolent ownership.

“We believe that live music fans understand exactly how vital these venues are to the future of our whole music ecosystem and how much financial difficulty they are currently facing,” adds Davyd.

“127 grassroots music venues have closed in the last 12 months – more than one is permanently closing every week. We need a radical intervention by everyone: the government, the music industry, artists and fans, to stop these closures and turn this around.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has announced a new partnership with Coca-Cola which will see the drinks brand support the UK grassroots community through a series of activities.

The link-up will commence with a series of gigs organised by the charity, which represents more than 900 UK venues and has secured a 13-show headline run by indie-pop singer-songwriter Casey Lowry.

The tour will kick off at Moles in Bath on 27 September and conclude on 23 October at Camden’s KOKO.

“This is the start of an incredibly important partnership with Coca-Cola which we hope will bring support to grassroots music venues right across the country,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “Every local community deserves access to an excellent live music experience right on their doorstep. This project demonstrates how MVT can work with great partners to make that happen and keep music live right across the UK.”

“We recognise that the festival artists of tomorrow need to play in the grassroot venues of today”

Fans have a chance to win tickets by buying a 500ml Coke Zero or Coke Zero Cherry at any Co-op store and scanning the QR code on the in-store display by 22 August.

“Coca-Cola has a wealth of historical involvement in music and this summer has seen us give music fans a number of epic experiences at festivals across Europe,” says Paul Hiskens, associate director, partnerships & sponsorships at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB. “But we recognise that the festival artists of tomorrow need to play in the grassroot venues of today and by partnering with Music Venue Trust we will help support the venues in a number of ways moving forward.

“In our first activity we have funded a series of gigs to allow venues to raise funds, alongside giving fans of Coke Zero an unforgettable night out – and hope that they continue to support these venues ongoing, as we will.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.