ASM Global & Music Venue Trust UK Join Forces To Support Grassroots Venues

Starting December, all ASM Global venues in the UK will fundraise for MVT, and their network of independent venues.

ASM Global announced it is expanding its partnership with the UK’s Music Venue Trust (MVT), and pledged “continued support for grassroots music venues around the country,” according to a press release announcing the new support scheme.

From December, ASM Global and its portfolio of UK venues will work side by side with the MVT, “to raise awareness and vital funds to protect and sustain the future of grassroots music venues, and in turn the UK’s complete live music ecosystem, celebrating the artist pathway from first show to arena sell-out,” the partnership announcement continues.

ASM Global first announced its commitment to MVT in 2023. The support to grassroots venues that came from that includes “access to free health and safety, mental health and wellbeing, and marketing training; marketing support for grassroots venues and artists, including promotion through ASM’s venue digital channels and in-venue marketing at ASM’s arenas and concert halls; donations of venue and stage furniture, including over 100 items donated by OVO Arena Wembley alone to local independent venues this autumn; the launch of the first arena donation campaign for MVT, partnering with Enter Shikari at OVO Arena Wembley to fundraise and match customer donations,” as well as the recent announcement that Katy Perry will donate £1 from every ticket sold on her 2025 UK dates to the country’s grassroots music venues, which includes AO Arena Manchester from ASM Global’s portfolio.

The others, including OVO Arena Wembley, first direct arena Leeds, P&J Live Aberdeen, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Connexin Live Hull, amongst others, will now “participate by offering fans and concertgoers various opportunities to contribute.”

Through December and January, MVT’s work will be displayed inside venues, and visitors will be able to donate directly on bars and concourses, as well as when buying tickets via venue websites, giving them an easy way to support the cause.

“ASM Global and MVT’s partnership underscores the essential role of grassroots venues in nurturing talent and building the foundations of the UK’s world-renowned music scene. The funds raised will directly support MVT’s mission to safeguard these iconic spaces and ensure their long-term viability as cultural and community hubs. It will help to protect grassroots music venues in each of ASM’s regional areas, celebrating the vital role these spaces play in an artist’s journey. The partnership will not only raise funds but also drive awareness about the importance of preserving these venues for future generations to discover and enjoy,” the press release states.

Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe, commented, “Our industry starts with the grassroots. As an interconnected ecosystem, these venues lay the foundation for artists to perform, fans to discover, and the industry to thrive. At ASM Global, we recognise the absolute importance of grassroots music venues, and we’re great supporters of Mark and his team at Music Venue Trust. Through this partnership, created specifically for MVT, we are able to harness the power of our venues and our fans, to help ensure the survival of the grassroots – the place where headliners of the future are made.”

Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, added, “ASM were the first arena operators to respond to our call for support from the live music industry to deal with the crisis engulfing grassroots music venues after the pandemic. Their venues may be big but they’re run by teams of true music fans, people who not only understand the grassroots and love the artists but many that actually started their careers in their local venue. Support from ASM Global is an essential part of recognising that we are all part of one great big ecosystem, and that a strong and thriving grassroots sector is vital for the future of the whole live music industry. We are delighted to be developing and expanding this partnership and look forward to continuing to develop ways we can work together.”

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