New statistics from a global survey by Ditto Music have reportedly shown that 84% of independent artists in the UK cannot afford to tour in 2025. The survey was conducted among 1,500 independent artists who backed previous findings that 88% of musicians have noticed an increase in touring and gigging costs in recent years, while 29% have reported a decrease in gig fees. The survey also found that 70.6% of UK artists have never toured and 62.2% turned down tour opportunities due to financial reasons. Furthermore, 87.5% of artists aged 25 to 34 say touring is unaffordable, while 70.6% of independent artists fund their careers using personal saving.
The research highlighted various reasons for a lack of affordability for independent artists, including increasing visa fees, fuel and shipping costs, and inflation with expected levels of ticket sales not following the rise in streaming numbers and social media following. The music industry has been negatively affected by post-pandemic audience behavioral changes, while merchandise cuts imposed by live music venues have also impacted earnings of new and upcoming artists. “The cost of touring crisis” has caused artists for whom touring would be life-changing not to afford the opportunity, added the study.
Looking at the struggling Irish industry, the heads of business affairs at Ireland’s IMRO and Mechanical Copyright Protection Society have both called for a similar EU-UK agreement, “to protect the music economy” after data showed Irish music publishers had suffered an 80% drop in income.
Meanwhile, big name artists such as Little Simz and Santigold have cancelled tours in recent years as the demanding touring schedule had proved unsustainable, and the challenging nature of high-pressure situations has impacted artists’ mental health, as Paula Temple and Mark Knekelhuis have cited “burnout” as a reason for quitting touring.
In addition, the vast majority of young artists, particularly those aged 17 and under, cannot afford touring at all, suggests the report. The recently launched “Carry on Touring Campaign” has highlighted the catastrophic impact on the UK’s and Europe’s cultural economies, with touring art forms suffering, and many young and emerging artists have had their lives and careers affected. The campaign calls for a solution for touring artists to be found post-Brexit
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