Independent live music venues around the UK have been seriously struggling, relying on charity funding and support.

Ticketmaster UK has recently donated £60,000 to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a charity dedicated to supporting grassroots music venues across the United Kingdom. This contribution is part of an ongoing initiative where Ticketmaster offers fans the option to donate when purchasing tickets, with the company matching each donation. Over the past two years, this scheme has raised a total of £120,000 for MVT.

The money is allocated to the Music Venue Trust’s Pipeline Investment Fund, created to assist grassroots music venues (GMVs), artists, and promoters across the UK. Launched in 2022 with backing from the Music Venues Alliance, the fund initially received contributions from ticket sales for the ‘Revive Live’ tour. This nationwide series of gigs was made possible through a collaboration between the Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery.

This donation comes amid discussions about implementing a levy on tickets for larger events to support smaller venues. The idea is to allocate a portion of ticket sales from major concerts to grassroots venues, ensuring the sustainability of the live music ecosystem. Recently, the UK government backed this notion, showing its understanding of the importance of protecting the grassroots live music sector. Artists like Coldplay have already begun donating portions of their arena/stadium ticket sales to charities like the Music Venue Trust in a show of support.

The Music Venue Trust plays a vital role in advocating for small venues, which are often the starting point for many independent musicians. These venues are not only platforms for emerging artists but also essential cultural hubs in their communities. Without them, where will the future stadium-filling artists come from?

Music fans can help support such venues by attending local gigs, promoting their favourite grassroots venues on social media, and making donations wherever possible. However, the onus should not solely be on fans, as purchasing concert tickets can be difficult enough in the current economic climate. Longer term solutions like ticket levys and government support are still thoroughly needed.