LIVE Trust Announces 1 Million Boost for UK Grassroots Live Music

LIVE Trust, the UK live‑music fund that collects a voluntary £1 levy on tickets for shows with more than 5,000 seats, has announced a £1 million increase to its Phase Two funding programme. The move doubles the amount of money that will be distributed through Phase Two, bringing the overall total of grants awarded to £1.5 million.

The new funding will support a broad range of grassroots live‑music stakeholders, including artists, venue operators, promoters, festival organisers and others who keep the live‑music ecosystem running. In the first phase of the programme, LIVE Trust distributed £500,000 to 372 venues, 211 shows and 81 festivals across the UK.

Phase Two will continue to fund the organisations that already received support in Phase One – the Music Venue Trust, the UK Artist Touring Fund, the Association of Independent Promoters and the Association of Independent Festivals – and will add new partners. Youth Music and Help Musicians will receive new funding, and targeted investment will go to Anthem Wales, Attitude Is Everything, Back Up Tech and Black Lives in Music.

"In just over a year, LIVE Trust has shown what the live music industry can achieve when it works together," said chair Kirsty McShannon. "We set out to create a long‑term way of supporting grassroots live music and the response has been overwhelming. Every artist, promoter, venue, and festival that contributes helps secure the future of live music across the UK."

CEO Jon Collins added, "LIVE Trust is already proving that money raised by the industry can be distributed quickly and effectively. Phase Two enables us to build on that success by continuing to support core programmes while working with new ones to deliver targeted support for those facing additional barriers. We are incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead, and I would like to thank every promoter, manager, venue, agent, and artist who has stepped forward to support this vital work."

The announcement comes as the government launches its Music Plan, which recognises the role of LIVE Trust in supporting grassroots music. Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray MP said, "Britain’s iconic music scene relies on our ability to put on great live shows, and it’s encouraging to see the major players stepping up to support the grassroots talent that makes music so special. This second round of funding is a testament to the growing momentum behind the Trust, and the very real difference it is making to the pipeline of UK talent. We would encourage all promoters and artists to do even more with this industry initiative. The government is fully committed to supporting grassroots music, and our Music Plan published today underlines that commitment. We will continue to work hand in hand with the industry to nurture the emerging stars of the future."

Since its launch in January 2025, LIVE Trust has secured more than six million ticket pledges, working with 10 promoters across more than 100 tours. The trust is already preparing for a third funding round, which will open the door for additional programmes to apply.

The £1 ticket levy is a voluntary contribution from arena and stadium shows that have a capacity over 5,000. The money collected is earmarked for grassroots venues and the wider live‑music community. The levy has already raised significant sums – the first £500,000 was distributed in Phase One – and the new £1 million boost will help sustain the sector as it recovers from the impacts of the pandemic and rising operating costs.

With the combined support of industry partners and government policy, LIVE Trust aims to keep live music alive at the community level. The trust’s next steps include expanding its funding reach, refining its selection criteria for new partners, and monitoring the impact of the grants on venues, festivals and touring artists.

The current situation is that the UK live‑music ecosystem now has an additional £1 million in funding to support grassroots initiatives, with the overall pool of grants reaching £1.5 million. The trust will continue to monitor ticket‑levy contributions and will announce further funding opportunities as they become available.