A proposal has been made by music industry experts to impose a £1 levy on music event tickets at arenas and stadiums to create a fund that would support grassroots music venues. The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee heard from representatives of the Live Music Exchange, Music Venue Trust and National Arenas Association about the pressure faced by underfunded grassroots venues as costs continue to rise. Last year, 125 music venues were closed, impacting the industry and eroding jobs and communities. Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, emphasised the role that grassroots venues play in the music industry as a “starter motor” without which the entire industry would suffer.
Davyd argued that risk-taking and experimentation are vital for a healthy music industry, and that a levy inspired by France’s “3%” model could generate a centralised fund that artists, promoters and venues could apply to use in support of such practices. The potential solution of a £1 ticket levy would generate funds for this “risk-taking” initiative. John Drury of the National Arenas Association argued that the levy would be equivalent to “20% cut of EDBITA” and highlighted the pressure on grassroots venues as being “an issue for the ecosystem”, suggesting that large capacity venues were not the only ones responsible to address it.
The committee discussed the “Enter Shikari model” where ticket profits were directly donated by artists to specific charitable causes, however, the committee believed it was neither sustainable nor quantifiable. A petition supporting the proposed levy has been launched on Change.org, with 21,084 signatures as of the time of writing. The rising costs and the pressure on grassroots music venues have been making live music increasingly unaffordable for consumers. In 2023, Vice predicted that festivals such as Glastonbury could become more expensive. Other initiatives, such as a crowdfunding project to help young people afford music festivals, have been launched to cope with the negative impact of rising costs.
To sign the petition in support of the levy, visit Change.org
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