Royal Albert Hall to introduce £1 ticket levy to support UK grassroots music venues
Image credits: Alev Takil
The historic venue marks the first 5,000-plus capacity arena to join the LIVE Trust scheme, giving grassroots venues a much-needed boost.
A big name backing a big cause
The Royal Albert Hall has become the first major venue to support the LIVE Trust’s campaign to help struggling grassroots venues. Tickets on sale after October 1, 2025 for all pop and rock concerts at the venue will include a £1 levy, with proceeds going directly to the LIVE Trust.
The arena is the first venue with a capacity over 5,000 to commit to the initiative, which Pollstar estimates could see it raise around £300,000 per year for the grassroots sector. That kind of money will provide a welcome boost for the LIVE Trust which will distribute it across grassroots venues, festivals, promoters, and artists.
Speaking as both CEO of the Royal Albert Hall and founding trustee of the LIVE Trust, James Ainscough said it best:
“Grassroots is essential for the development and discovery of new artists, honing live performance skills, building communities, and fostering innovation and fresh talent both on and off the stage.”
Why this matters now
It’s no secret that grassroots venues have been under intense pressure. While the live music industry at large has mostly bounced back from the pandemic, many grassroots venues are still on the ropes. With rising production costs and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, UK Music’s 2024 report revealed that hundreds of grassroots venues have already shut down, and many more are still at risk.
On top of this, the average number of tour dates per act has halved since 1994 (from 22 dates down to 11). That means fewer gigs, fewer opportunities for emerging artists, and less revenues for the venues trying to support them. It’s all interlinked- whether fewer artists touring means venues have to shut down, or closing venues means that artists have less places to play- one affects the other, and neither situation is good for the industry.
A turning point for the LIVE Trust
The LIVE Trust was launched by UK live music industry body LIVE earlier this year. It aims to fund the most vulnerable parts of the live music ecosystem: the venues, festivals, promoters and artists that are struggling to stay afloat.
The Trust relies on a voluntary £1-per-ticket contribution from arena and stadium concerts, based on an idea first proposed by the Music Venue Trust. So far, uptake has been slow- which is why the Royal Albert Hall’s support is so significant.
The scheme was introduced following Government support, with pressure that more stricter regulation would occur if no industry-led scheme occurred. At present, Bristol remains the only region to propose a city-wide levy (even if it came about before the LIVE Trust was established).
Now, with one of the UK’s most prestigious venues leading by example, there’s fresh hope that others will follow.
Creative industries minister Sir Chris Bryant agrees. He’s joined other MPs in calling on the rest of the live sector to step up and “follow suit”.
Will other venues step up?
The Royal Albert Hall’s announcement could be the push the industry needs to encourage more grassroots support. If more major venues introduce similar levies, the cumulative effect could be game-changing for small venues and emerging artists across the country.