The Royal Albert Corridor in London has change into the primary area to decide to the £1 LIVE ticket levy to assist help grassroots venues.
With the choice, the historic venue has change into the primary 5,000+ capability area to decide to the levy – which sees £1 from each ticket bought invested again into the UK’s dwell music scene and helps smaller venues maintain their doorways open.
From October 1 2025, a £1 ticket contribution shall be added to all business rock and pop live shows on the Corridor. It will increase an estimated £300,000 each year for the LIVE Belief.
“By embracing the £1 contribution and changing into the primary area the place it’s ‘at all times on’, we’re including this charity’s identify to the rising momentum across the £1 grassroots contribution,” mentioned James Ainscough OBE, Chief Government of the Royal Albert Corridor and founding trustee of the LIVE Belief. “[I] sit up for enjoying my half in making certain that each pound raised has the utmost influence, securing a thriving grassroots music sector for generations to return.”
Inventive Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant added that he was “delighted that the Royal Albert Corridor has made this milestone dedication”, whereas Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the Tradition, Media and Sport Committee, added that she believes the transfer is “a incredible increase for this initiative”.
Jon Collins, Chief Government of LIVE, continued: “For such an necessary and iconic venue because the Royal Albert Corridor to make this dedication is a big indicator of the rising ranges of confidence within the LIVE Belief.
“With an ever-increasing schedule of main excursions asserting their help alongside quite a few particular person firm initiatives, that are creating new income alternatives, the LIVE Belief is properly positioned to start its mission to help grassroots music throughout the UK, he added. “We thank the group on the Royal Albert Corridor for this forward-thinking and revolutionary announcement and hope that others shall be impressed to comply with go well with.”
The choice comes because the UK music scene continues to face the “full collapse” of touring, with enormous areas going with out dwell music, one venue closing each two weeks, and the uphill battle for artists to afford to exist, not to mention play dwell.
It has additionally been reported that the variety of artists touring throughout the UK and overseas has fallen by as a lot as 74 per cent in comparison with pre-pandemic figures.
A latest Music Followers’ Voice survey confirmed that 93 per cent of followers agreed that £1 from each area and stadium ticket must be donated to help the grassroots, and final spring, a authorities committee of UK MPs joined the decision for a levy on area and stadium gigs – in addition to a minimize in VAT.
In December, they pushed for concrete measures to be put in place by the top of 2025, and mentioned that if venues don’t volunteer to speculate again into the grassroots areas, the federal government will take motion.
“We need to see a voluntary levy on area and stadium tickets come into impact as quickly as potential for live shows in 2025. To satisfy this timeline, we need to see tangible progress throughout the music trade by the primary quarter of 2025,” mentioned Sir Chris Bryant MP – Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Inventive Industries.
He additionally introduced that he could be holding a ministerial roundtable with dwell music representatives to drive progress, and that the Committee could be holding a listening to with the sector sooner or later this summer time ought to no important progress on a voluntary levy be made.
Large names who’ve been supportive of a £1 ticket levy embrace Coldplay, Sam Fender and Katy Perry – who’ve all vowed to donate a portion of their tour revenues to help the grassroots sector.
In Could, Wolf Alice‘s Joff Oddie additionally joined trade leaders at a authorities listening to and insisted that not sufficient progress was being made in saving venues and new artists. Then, the month prior, it was reported that UK tour ticket contributions have raised £500,000 for grassroots music venues due to artists like Pulp and Mumford & Sons.
The LIVE belief will supply important monetary help to these working throughout dwell music, and likewise seems to help quite a few corners of the dwell music ecosystem, providing backing to venues, artists, festivals and promoters.
The push for change comes as 2023 proved to be “disastrous” and the worst 12 months on file, with 125 grassroots music venues shutting their doorways. Originally of the 12 months, it was additionally reported that 70.6 per cent of impartial UK acts have by no means toured, whereas 84 per cent of unsigned artists merely can’t afford to.
Go to right here to seek out out extra in regards to the LIVE Belief and the £1 ticket levy.