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Liverpool City Council has introduced a new initiative aimed at bolstering the city’s small live music venues, which serve as crucial incubators for emerging musical talent. This grassroots support programme combines financial aid with customised business development services to help these venues navigate ongoing difficulties and continue showcasing original music created by artists based in Liverpool.
The challenges facing grassroots music venues throughout the UK have increased in recent years due to rising operating expenses, shifting audience habits, and the broader effects of the cost of living crisis. Recognising the importance of this cultural infrastructure, Liverpool, as a designated UNESCO City of Music, is dedicated to maintaining venues that are resilient, innovative, and welcoming to all.
This new grants scheme launches a year-long celebration of the tenth anniversary of Liverpool’s UNESCO City of Music status. The programme, which is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and implemented in partnership with the Music Venue Trust (MVT), centres on two main components. First, it offers direct financial support and talent development grants, prioritising grassroots and emerging spaces with capacities under 300, providing up to £3,000 per venue or promoter to support as many as six live music nights. Second, it delivers tailored business support designed to help venues strengthen their operations, broaden their audiences, and adjust to evolving trends in live music.
Additionally, the programme provides access to the Music Futures Promoter Development Project, a year-long initiative aimed at nurturing promoters from underrepresented backgrounds or those involved in less supported music genres. Applications for the programme open on 26 January 2026 and close at noon on 13 February 2026, with decisions announced by 27 February. Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture, highlighted the role of small venues in cultivating Liverpool’s global reputation in music, while Kevin McManus, Liverpool’s Head of UNESCO City of Music, emphasized the irreplaceable experience of live performances in intimate settings where musical magic is created
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