London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Ministers are insisting the live music industry impose a voluntary levy on tickets to big concerts at stadiums and arenas to support funding grassroots venues.
Ministers have stated they will consider the significance of this move before deciding if further measures are needed to help small venues. The grassroots music sector is an important of the UK’s £6.7 billion music enterprise, with many of Britain’s best-selling artists, including Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay and Stormzy, initiating their careers in grassroots venues.
The sector presents emerging artists with opportunities to sharpen their craft, employs more than 28,000 people including stage managers, security and sound and lighting engineers, and helps local economies across the country.
How is the live music industry responding to the levy proposal?
As PA Media reports, some bands have already taken the action to donate a portion of ticket sales to support fund smaller venues. Enter Shikari offered £1 of every ticket sold for their 2024 arena tour to the Music Venue Trust charity as a gesture of help for the grassroots live music sector. Coldplay have also committed to donate 10% of earnings from their upcoming UK stadium tour to help smaller venues.
What has the culture minister said about grassroots music?
In a statement, Chris Bryant, the culture minister, expressed:” Grassroots music venues are one of the UK’s most valuable and yet undervalued cultural assets. They are where bands try out new material, where whole new genres are born, where musicians experiment and where audiences get to experience the raw power of live music.
“These venues support thousands of jobs and are a vital part of our local communities. Without a flourishing grassroots music industry, the rest of our music industry will wither. 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.”