To Support The Vital Parts Of The Biz: UK Trade Body LIVE Announces Launch Of The Live Trust

LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which represents 15 live music industry organizations, has announced the launch of the Live Trust, a new funding initiative that aims to offer much-needed financial support to those working across live music: artists, venue operators, promoters, festival organizers, and more.
Just like LIVE itself, the Live Trust has been established by, and is acting on behalf of the live music industry, which contributes £6.1 billion ($7.4 billion) to the UK economy, and employs some 230,000 people, according to the latest industry stats. The Live Trust will initially focus on the grassroots music sector, which saw 125 grassroots music venues close permanently in 2023, 78 festivals lost in 2024, and a 50% decline in tour dates over the last three decades, according to the trade body, which stated, that “the escalating cost of event production aligned with the UK’s continuing cost of living crisis has conspired to further squeeze this vital part of the music ecosystem, and the Live Trust will work to support those who are keeping venues open, festivals trading, artists touring and those involved in the promoting and staging of live music performances.”
Initially the Live Trust will receive its funding from a voluntary contribution of £1 per ticket from arena and stadium shows with a capacity of over 5,000. Pollstar has been reporting on the introduction of such a ticket levy since the UK government could no longer ignore the pressures in UK live music, which finally reached the ears of the country’s policymakers last year. A report on grassroots music venues by the UK’s culture, media and sport committee published in May 2024 recommended that the live music industry introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support that vital part of this business where future talent, as well as future live professionals, hone their skills.
Grassroots Music Venues: UK Government Backs Ticket Levy On Arena & Stadium Shows
The LIVE Trust has also appointed three founding trustees: Steve Lamacq MBE, chair of LIVE, Kirsty McShannon, CEO of Azorra, who are commercial and business affairs advisors to the live music, festivals, events and venues industry, and James Ainscough, CEO of The Royal Albert Hall. “Additional trustees will be appointed in the coming months to ensure diverse representation from all elements of live music,” the launch release continues, adding that “funding strategy will be set on a periodic basis by these trustees, with input from LIVE and the wider UK live music sector, which will decide and control how money is raised, how much needs to be raised and where that money will be allocated.”
A number of existing financial support schemes run by the members of LIVE will continue to run independently of the Live Trust. Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE, said, “The launch of The LIVE Trust marks a significant step change in how the grassroots live music sector will be supported moving forward. By putting in place a robust infrastructure that can receive and allocate the financial resources needed to support the survival of this vital part of the music ecosystem we have responded to the appeals of the grassroots sector and the recommendations of the CMS Report that asked us to implement tangible and workable solutions. We would like to thank all of our members for their hard work in making this bold and ambitious plan a reality.”
