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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In the newest compilation of movers and shakers, IQ highlights news from DEAG, Music Venue Trust (MVT), AXS, United Nations, Power of Music consortium, Proactiv Asia and Live Music Now Scotland.

Berlin-based live entertainment giant DEAG has announced the return of Lutz Grotehöfer as executive vice president of operations.

In his new role, he will work closely with Detlef Kornett (chairman of the DEAG executive board, group CEO/international business affairs) and Christian Diekmann (member of the DEAG executive board, CEO national/COO).

In addition to operational and structural issues of the company, Grotehöfer will address strategic issues in the face of a dynamically changing and growing DEAG and live entertainment industry.

Grotehöfer was an executive board member for DEAG between 2014–2017.

AEG-owned ticketing company AXS has made three hires in Europe and Asia

Elsewhere, Music Venue Trust (MVT), the UK charity for grassroots music venues (GMVs), has announced six new patrons.

Joining MVT’s existing list of patrons are acclaimed musician Kate Nash, MP for Brighton Pavilion Sian Berry, CAA agent Summer Marshall, Scottish Music Industry Association’s Robert Kilpatrick, FOCUS Wales co-founder Neal Thompson, Co-founder, and artist and independent label manager Colin Newman.

These new patrons join musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Nova Twins, Frank Turner and Tim Burgess, broadcasters who include Steve Lamacq MBE and Gemma Bradley, and patrons from industry and politics including Sony Music’s Jason Iley, John Whittingdale MP and Kerry McCarthy MP.

AEG-owned ticketing company AXS, meanwhile, has made three hires in Europe and Asia.

Motoki Ishikawa has been named managing director of AXS Japan, which was established in 2019.

Michael Kill has been appointed as United Nations Representative

Ishikawa joins from Dentsu, Japan’s largest integrated communications conglomerate, where he held senior management roles as CEO Dentsu Sports America, GM Rugby World Cup 2019 (VIP Hospitality and Venue Production), GM Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020 (Sports Presentation).

In the UK, the ticketing firm’s new appointments include Nick Griffith, director of business development, and Sam Ricketts, head of business development and artist services.

Michael Kill, VP of the International Nightlife Association (INA) and CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) UK, has been appointed as United Nations Representative on behalf of the INA as it gains Consultative Status through the UN’s Economic And Social Council.

With this status, the INA will have the opportunity to participate in UN events and debates, present written statements, collaborate with other NGOs and UN agencies, and contribute to discussions on critical topics such as economic development, social inclusion, cultural impact, and responsible entertainment.

Meanwhile, Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy CEO Sandra Schembri has been appointed as the new Power of Music Consortium Chair. She replaces UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl in the role after UK Music chaired the Consortium since its inception in 2022.

Judith Anderson has been appointed CEO of Live Music Now Scotland

Elsewhere, Blake Tatroe has been named head of Asia at Proactiv Entertainment, a producer and promoter of large-scale shows, international exhibitions and music concerts.

Tatroe has held a number of senior roles across Asia Pacific live entertainment, most recently serving as international director at Michael Cassel Group in Singapore.

Between 2019-21 Tatroe was senior director, live event marketing at the ONE Championship, following an 11-year stint at Feld Entertainment, where he ascended to become managing tour director.

Finally, Judith Anderson has been appointed CEO of Live Music Now Scotland, succeeding Carol Main, who has led the organisation since it was founded in 1984.

Anderson joins the charity – which works in schools, hospitals, care homes and hospices supporting emerging artists – from the Scottish arts and early years organisation, Starcatchers, where she was head of development and operations.

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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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The UK’s Music Venue Properties (MVP) has acquired Newport’s Le Pub under its Own Our Venues scheme.

Founded in 1992, Le Pub (also known as Le Public Space) has been touted as a ‘cornerstone’ of Newport’s music scene with alumni including Skindred and Kids in Glass Houses.

The venue, which also operates as a bar, restaurant, and nightclub, has endured a handful of challenges over the years including a relocation to new premises. Now, under MVP’s #OwnOurVenues initiative, the future of the venue has been secured.

Own Our Venues was originally launched as a Community Share Offer in 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.

The project was made possible by more than 1,200 individual investors including £500,000 investment from both Arts Council England and Arts & Culture Finance.

“Having a landlord who is as passionate about live music as we are, will make a massive difference to us”

To date almost £2.8m has been raised from over 1300 individual investors and funding. The scheme has received additional support from the Community Ownership Fund including £250k to realise the purchase of Le Pub.

In addition to Le Pub, Own Our Venues has purchased four other venues: The Snug in Atherton, The Ferret in Preston, The Bunkhouse in Swansea and The Booking Hall in Dover.

“We are very excited to be part of the Music Venue Properties family of owned venues,” says Samantha Dabb, the manager of Le Pub. “Having a landlord who is as passionate about live music as we are, will make a massive difference to us and guarantee the venue’s future in Newport.”

Mark Davyd, founder of Music Venue Trust, adds: “Le Pub was one of the very first venues to join the Music Venues Alliance, and has been, for the last ten years, one of the most vocal and active campaigning voices about the importance of grassroots music venues to our communities, towns and cities. To see it taken into protected ownership, guaranteeing its future for decades to come, is a huge step forward for live music in Wales and a beacon of what can be achieved through projects like Music Venue Properties.”

To mark the acquisition, Le Pub tonight (10 January) will host a special plaque unveiling and evening of live music with performances by local homegrown talent Murder Club and a guest set by Sam Duckworth of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

The event will also feature speeches from supporters and local government representatives.

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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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ASM Global is expanding its partnership with Music Venue Trust (MVT) to support the UK’s grassroots music venues.

In the next step of the campaign, ASM Global’s UK venues such as OVO Arena Wembley, AO Arena, first direct arena, P&J Live and Utilita Arena Newcastle, will offer fans and concertgoers various opportunities to contribute.

Visitors will see examples of MVT’s work inside the venues and be able to support the cause by donating directly at bars and concourses, as well as when buying tickets via venue websites.

The funds raised will directly support MVT’s mission to safeguard grassroots music venues (GMVs).

Since announcing its commitment to MVT in 2023, ASM has provided support to GMVs through access to free health and safety, mental health and marketing training, marketing support for grassroots venues and artists, and donations of venue and stage furniture.

The venue management giant also launched the first arena donation campaign for MVT, partnering with Enter Shikari at OVO Arena Wembley to fundraise and match customer donations.

As part of Katy Perry’s upcoming UK Leg of The Lifetimes Tour, AO Arena this month confirmed it will be contributing £1 from every ticket to MVT.

“We [want] to help ensure the survival of the grassroots – the place where headliners of the future are made”

“Our industry starts with the grassroots,” says Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe. “As an interconnected ecosystem, these venues lay the foundation for artists to perform, fans to discover, and the industry to thrive. At ASM Global, we recognise the absolute importance of grassroots music venues, and we’re great supporters of Mark and his team at Music Venue Trust. Through this partnership, created specifically for MVT, we are able to harness the power of our venues and our fans, to help ensure the survival of the grassroots – the place where headliners of the future are made.”

Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, adds: “ASM were the first arena operators to respond to our call for support from the live music industry to deal with the crisis engulfing grassroots music venues after the pandemic.

“Their venues may be big but they’re run by teams of true music fans, people who not only understand the grassroots and love the artists but many that actually started their careers in their local venue. Support from ASM Global is an essential part of recognising that we are all part of one great big ecosystem, and that a strong and thriving grassroots sector is vital for the future of the whole live music industry. We are delighted to be developing and expanding this partnership and look forward to continuing to develop ways we can work together.”

Last month, 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) Select Committee’s report.

Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant said today that the government wants to see ‘tangible progress’ by the first quarter of next year to meet the timeline of a levy coming in as soon as possible for concerts in 2025.

He also announced that he will hold a ministerial roundtable before Christmas with live music representatives to drive progress.

The Committee itself has said it will hold a hearing with the sector in the middle of next year should no significant progress on a voluntary levy be made.

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: “This welcome push from the Government in response to the Committee’s concerns should help focus the minds of the big players in the music industry on the urgency of taking action to support our grassroots music sector. The ball is now very firmly in their court and we will continue to keep a very close eye on progress.”

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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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The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Musicians’ Union (MU) have spoken to IQ after jointly penning an open letter calling for a blanket ticket levy to share the cost of investing in the future of the UK live scene.

In the midst of a “cost of touring crisis”, the government is expected to respond imminently to the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee’s report on grassroots live music, published in May, which called for a process for an arena-level levy to safeguard grassroots venues to be put in place “before September 2024”.

But despite Coldplay pledging to donate 10% of proceeds from their 2025 UK stadium dates to the Music Venue Trust, and Sam Fender vowing that £1 from every ticket sold for his upcoming UK shows will go to the organisation, a levy is yet to come to pass.

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.

As a result of the delay, FAC CEO David Martin, who gave evidence to the CMS committee alongside Lily Fontaine from Mercury Prize winners English Teacher, says he is “increasingly concerned about the direction of travel”.

“Today, we call on the government to help get this conversation back on track to deliver the £1 ticket levy that grassroots live music so desperately needs,” he says.

Moreover, the organisations insist that “just supporting venues in itself will not save grassroots music”.

“The entire ecosystem needs support, and especially the artists and musicians who perform on the stages in those venues,” says the letter. “This is how we will develop new artists and audiences, ensuring that it’s viable for artists to progress through the live sector – from grassroots venues to arenas.”

“We urgently need to see the introduction of a robust and sustainable funding mechanism, allowing artists to carry out tours without significant risk”

The FAC and MU argue the levy must be implemented on a blanket basis “so that the responsibility is shared across all of those that contribute to the live industry”.

“While it is remarkable that some artists have voluntarily come forward to offer individual support, this burden should not be placed at the door of individual, British artists on an ‘opt in’ basis,” they say. “This blanket approach will ensure a level playing field for UK artists and that the whole of the live sector shares the cost of investing in the future of live music in the UK.

“Unless we return to the consensus position of May 2024, where the entire grassroots sector can benefit from a ticket levy, we risk causing irreparable harm to British music. We are encouraging artists, fans and the wider industry to show their support for this open letter by signing our petition.”

Kelly Wood, head of live at the MU, adds: “If artists can’t rely upon a healthy and financially viable grassroots live sector, the industry as a whole suffers. We urgently need to see the introduction of a robust and sustainable funding mechanism, allowing artists to carry out tours without significant risk. Without this kind of support, we will lose artists from the music community, and the talent pipeline will be severely disrupted.”

Speaking to IQ, the pair explained what would happen if an artist declined to participate in the scheme, or preferred to support a cause of their choosing with a ticket add-on.

“We support a blanket, industry-wide levy to be implemented by the live sector in order to ensure that the whole ecosystem contributes”

“We support a blanket, industry-wide levy to be implemented by the live sector in order to ensure that the whole ecosystem contributes, and to avoid individual artists being burdened with the decision about opting in,” they say. “Where that can’t be agreed, we will campaign for a government intervention.

“Artists are of course free to support any cause that they wish, and already do. Additionally, there are already a number of fees and levies placed on tickets which are not voluntary and which artists have no say over the distribution of.”

Martin and Wood say a £1 levy, implemented on a blanket basis, would provide clarity on the collection mechanism, the amount and the purposes it is used to support, as well as ensuring it can be used to support the grassroots in its entirety.

“Furthermore, any Trust or body that is set up to distribute the level should have significant representation and expertise from the artist community, to ensure that the distribution of any levy is done in a manner that adequately supports grassroots artists,” they tell IQ.

The duo say they remain supportive of the creation of the LIVE Trust “as a vehicle for collecting and distributing a levy”, though the open letter expresses concern over the industry’s “ability to enact the mechanism voluntarily”.

“In its absence, donations made by arena-level artists won’t necessarily lead to direct funding opportunities for artists performing at grassroots level,” it concludes. “Therefore, we believe that the government should retain the option to intervene and implement a statutory levy. Our organisations will campaign to bring forward such steps if necessary.”

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