Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray has written to NME about the need to for the industry and Live Nation to “step up to help the next generation of talent” by paying into the arena and stadium ticket levy, or else the government will be forced to intervene and make it mandatory by law.
Last week saw the Featured Artist Coalition (FAC) launch the new UKAT fund, in partnership with Music Managers Forum (MMF) and the Musicians’ Union (MU). The first phase offers proceeds of £125,000, collected from LIVE Trust donations as part of a voluntary “levy” ticket contributions from the likes of Sam Fender, Harry Styles, Radiohead, Lily Allen, Enter Shikari, Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice, Biffy Clyro, Ed Sheeran, Take That, The Cure, Kojey Radical, Foo Fighters and more.
The LIVE Trust has distributed £500,000 so far, with £5million to be to be given out throughout the year to artists, venue, promoters and more to get the UK’s grassroots scene stable and thriving once again.
This comes after the recent news that 30 grassroots venues were lost forever between July 2024 and July 2025, and last year alone saw more than half of those remaining making no profit and over 6,000 jobs lost, pressure has been mounting to help fund touring for artists to help prevent the existential threat to the future of the UK’s talent pipeline.
In support of the much-discussed £1 stadium gig levy, the Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray went to see Alex James’ ‘Britpop Classical’ tour with LIVE Trust founding trustee and music journalism icon Steve Lamacq at London Royal Albert Hall. That venue became the first UK arena to voluntary start paying into the scheme last year, and after the gig, Murray wrote to NME about how the levy needs much more widespread support for UK grassroots music to fulfil its full potential.
“The grassroots industry is the beating heart of our communities, and the closure of festivals and venues means fewer opportunities for emerging artists and for fans to experience the joy of live music up close,” Murray told NME. “This cannot continue, and that is why the government has given strong backing to a new £1 voluntary ticket contribution on stadium and area shows, with money reinvested in the grassroots sector.”
He continued: “A country with a musical reputation like ours, which can produce global superstars like Olivia Dean, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Dua Lipa, should also have a thriving grassroots scene and venues within striking distance from all of our doorsteps. As part of our new strategy to support the industry, we are backing artists and live music from the ground up – not just celebrating success at the top, but investing in the pipeline that makes it possible.”
The last decade has seen the UK suffer from the “complete collapse of touring“, with 175 towns and cities declared “gig deserts”, and 35million people without live music in their area or community.
In 1994, the average length of a tour of grassroots venues around the UK was 22 shows with 28 locations on the primary and secondary circuit. After decades of decline – growing more steep in recent years – the average length of a UK tour is now around 11 shows with only 12 locations on the primary and secondary circuit.
Murray pointed to the importance of smaller venues as “the bedrock of our music industry”, as well as hubs for future talent across the UK, highlighting that without them the future of stadium gigs would be in peril.
“Stadium gigs are more popular than ever before, with fans clamouring to see the likes of Oasis and Coldplay put on mesmerising, large-scale live shows,” said the MP. “But the music industry must recognise that these moments would not have been possible without the venues that forged those artists into the live acts they are today.”
While working towards huge change via their Creative Industries Sector Plan and investing £30million in a new Music Growth Package – as well as reducing barriers to growth through their U-turn business rates relief for venues, and reforming the licensing system and the incoming ban on secondary ticketing and touts – Murray pointed out that “the government will only ever be the supporting act” and that the industry should be doing more to pay back into the ecosystem.
“We strongly support the industry’s own efforts to take the lead, and in particular the Live Trust’s introduction of a voluntary ticket contribution on stadium and arena shows, with £1 from every ticket sale going towards the grassroots,” he said.
So far, the government has been waiting for the industry to proactively and voluntarily make the levy work before they step in and legislate to make it law and mandatory. Last year, it was expected that 50 per cent of stadium and arena gigs would be paying into the levy by the end of 2025. This was not met, and a new deadline has been set for June 30, 2026. Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd previously put the blame largely at the foot of market leader Live Nation, with Murray agreeing that they should take the leap to be more involved or risk government intervention.
“It is clear that there is more to do,” Murray argued. “At present, only 30 per cent of tickets for 2026 shows are currently supporting the voluntary ticket contribution. More major venues, tour operators, agents and artists need to step up. In particular, while several major promoters have thrown their unequivocal support behind the Trust, a small number have not.
“Live Nation, given its hugely influential position in the market, could make a major positive impact if it changes its stance. I urge them to reconsider and step up to help the next generation of talent. The government has consistently said that we are prepared to explore legislative options to ensure the sustainability of our world-leading live music industry, and I would reiterate this message to those promoters who can make a real difference.”
Murray added: “Failure to do so risks undermining our status as a music superpower. Filling arenas in the future depends on supporting artists, promoters, festivals and venues today. The Live Trust is a brilliant example of industry leadership and creativity, and the government fully supports it to ensure it delivers the results that all music lovers and the industry itself deserve.”
Speaking at the launch of their annual report earlier this year, MVT’s CEO Mark Davyd praised those who’d been so proactive in supporting the levy.
“These companies are delivering,” he said of the likes of SJM, Kilimanjaro and AEG. “Live Nation, you know, and the whole industry knows, you are not. If the voluntary levy fails, it will not be the fault of the companies who have already embraced it, or Music Venue Trust, or the government, or any will to do it on behalf of individuals, artists, managers, agents, audiences or anyone else.
“It will be a direct consequence of the overwhelmingly dominant force in the arena and stadium market deciding not to deliver a voluntary levy. That’s your choice, Live Nation, and everyone in the industry hopes you make the right one.”
The grassroots sector subsidised live music by £76.6million in 2025, while recent larger shows at arena and stadium level saw UK live music contribute a record-breaking £8billion to the economy.
Live Nation, who played a part in Harry Styles contributing £1 for each ticket to his upcoming Wembley Stadium residency to the LIVE Trust, responded to the criticism by telling NME that they “support artists’ choices on charitable donations, and has worked with numerous artists who have contributed to the voluntary levy – from Coldplay to Biffy Clyro – and will continue to do so.”
In a follow-up statement to comments from Murray, a Live Nation spokesperson added: “Live Nation supports the aims of the LIVE Trust and the voluntary ticket contribution, and we welcome the increasing number of artists choosing to opt in.
“Alongside this, we support grassroots music at scale by promoting thousands of shows each year in small venues and helping artists build their careers from clubs onwards.”
Davyd also told NME that a fully-funded system with all major parties contributing to the levy and LIVE Trust could see not only see the UK to a full and thriving tour circuit for fans, artists and gig spaces – but more venues opening and opportunities for artists in the years ahead.
“The ambition should be that within five to 10 years of the levy having been adopted and invested wisely, we should be seeing a healthy touring circuit and maybe we’ll get back up to the 30+ cities that used to get just about every tour, and then the 60 or 70 that would regularly feature on the national touring circuit.
“We’re missing a good two-thirds of the population with a music offer, and that’s not good for anybody.”
Davyd added: “My personal view is that it would be a terrible shame if we ended up with a statutory levy. If the music industry can’t work out how to do this voluntarily, then we accept that we can work with the government to get there.
“By 2027, the number of venues should be starting to go back up again. By the end of this decade, we should able able to say very proudly, ‘We turned this around, more venues are opening than are closing, more communities are getting access to live music, more artists are getting more support, and more promoters can take more risks’.
“There’s a five-year window coming up in which we turn this around.”
Visit here for more information or to apply to the UKAT fund, and here for more on the LIVE Trust.
Meanwhile in the US, Live Nation’s antitrust trial is set to resume after over 30 US states rejected a settlement offer. The Department of Justice is accusing Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation of abusing their power in the live events market to create an illegal monopoly.