UK ticket levy scheme has already contributed £500,000 to grassroots music – Mixmag

Artists including Pulp, Diana Ross, and Hans Zimmer have helped towards the contribution
A ticket levy scheme in the UK has raised more than £500,000 toward grassroots music, according to The LIVE Trust.
With the help of artists including Pulp, Diana Ross, Hans Zimmer, and Mumford & Sons, a new initiative encouraging established artists to support the grassroots sector have succeeded in raising over half a million pounds so far.
Those who pledge to take part in the ticket levy scheme are encouraged to donate £1 from every ticket sold on any UK tour legs to The LIVE Trust, a funding initiative helping to financially support those working in the music industry.
The initiative is already helping to fund grassroots music, such as the UK Artist Touring Fund, which aims to help artists overcome the „cost of touring crisis“ and apply for financial aid to undertake grassroots-level shows.
Read this next: 93% of UK music fans back £1 ticket levy on arena shows to support grassroots venues
Both international and domestic artists are able to get involved. Donations can be contributed from arena and stadium shows with a capacity of 5,000 or more.
“This is a welcome milestone for The LIVE Trust and marks a very significant contribution to the grassroots live music sector,” says CEO of LIVE, Jon Collins (via Music Business Worldwide).
“What this demonstrates is that there is a real appetite from performers and their teams to support the wider live ecosystem and we applaud and thank those that have already taken this initiative.”
Read this next: Bristol lays out ticket levy plans to help “transform” local music scene
Last year, the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee launched an investigation into the state of grassroots music, arguing that the sector is the “backbone” of the UK’s £6.7 billion music industry.
The voluntary levy has been backed by government ministers, with Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant calling on the live music industry to introduce the initiative “as soon as possible” in a November proposal.
Last week, a new survey conducted by Music Fans’ Voice showed almost unanimous support for the scheme by music fans in the UK. It found that 93% of those surveyed favoured the initiative.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter
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