A committee of UK MPs has called for a levy on arena and stadium gigs to support struggling grassroots music venues and artists. Artists and music industry figures have added their voices to the discussion, with the Featured Artists Coalition stating that any “Premier League” model must allow for creators to profit. Earlier this year, the Music Venue Trust found that up to two venues per week were closing and a levy was needed on gigs of arena size and above. Reports recommend “a levy-funded support fund and a targeted temporary VAT cut” alongside a fan-led review of live and electronic music.
The DCMS report revealed that 125 music venues closed last year in the UK, meaning that artists lost around 16% of all opportunities to perform (around 30,000 shows) and around 4000 jobs were lost. There was also a “significant blockage” affecting the talent pipeline. The DCMS committee called for a levy on arena and stadium concert tickets to help stem the loss, along with a VAT cut and analysis of the impact.
The committee also called on the Arts Council and Government to make public funding for the live music sector more accessible. Over 80% of current funding is reportedly being awarded to opera and classical music. The committee welcomed the Featured Artists’ Coalition’s campaign for a cessation of “punitive cuts of artists’ merchandise fees” taken by venues and promoters. Rising Leeds band English Teacher has also added its voice to the debate, calling for a fairer system to be put in place.
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said that the ongoing wave of closures puts “at risk the entire live music ecosystem.” She called for government intervention as well as industry support for the sector, saying that “music fans” and other stakeholders should join together to ensure “live music can thrive” into the future
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