Manchester UK Opens Applications For $285,000 Grassroots Venue Fund

Manchester City Council’s £245,000 ($285,000) discretionary fund to support the city’s Grassroots Music Venues is now open for applications – with payments due to reach successful venues by the end of January 2026.

Following reductions to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme, this initiative is designed primarily to ease the financial pressure caused by Manchester’s grassroots music venues transitioning to the new business rates tariffs, and is a direct response to one of the key recommendations within the forthcoming Music in the City report (commissioned by Manchester Music City and delivered by the hub).

Not to be confused with a Business Rates Relief scheme, this is a discretionary grant designed to offset the impact of the national business rates changes.

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“The fund recognizes and highlights the vital contribution that grassroots music venues make to Manchester’s economy and to its identity as one of the world’s leading music cities. This initiative has been made possible through council revenue generated by live concert arena, stadium, and festival activity during what has been a record-breaking year for major events and concert infrastructure throughout the city,” according to the press announcement.

Delivered in partnership with national charity Music Venue Trust (MVT) who, alongside national advocacy, are urging local councils to take action, the fund represents a rapid, targeted intervention to protect the small venues that make Manchester’s music culture world-renowned.

Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig commented: “We understand the importance of smaller venues, the stages where talent is nurtured and the city’s music begins. We also know that across the country, grassroots venues are struggling. That’s why in Manchester we’re taking action to ensure that real support reaches our venues quickly. This swift delivery is virtually unheard of in the sector but we are determined to innovate.

“Big gigs may hog the headlines, but we are pleased that, with the support of the Music Venues Trust, we’ve found a way to help their success support the grassroots venues which help launch acts and are an essential part of the ecosystem.”

Jay Taylor, England Coordinator at Music Venue Trust, said, “Identifying the challenges facing UK Grassroots Music Venues and then bringing about meaningful solutions is central to the work of Music Venue Trust, so it’s incredibly gratifying to be part of such a focussed and impactful project from Leader of the Council, Councillor Bev Craig, and Manchester City Council. It’s equally rewarding to see recommendations from the forthcoming Music in the City Report already manifesting as tangible support for music venues. It’s dynamic interventions like this that cement Manchester as a truly progressive global music city, and a model for other regions.”

Music Venue Trust, the UK charity which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues, has consistently highlighted the financial strain caused by changes to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme – reduced from 75% in 2024/25 to 40% in 2025/26 – and the urgent need for innovative local solutions.

As the scheme’s delivery partner, Music Venue Trust will lead the application and grant award process, building on a number of established and efficient funding mechanisms it already has in place such as its Pipeline Investment Fund and various emergency response, hardship & live event bursaries.

Grant applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are a live music location in the city of Manchester;  that they have a dedicated live music or performance space;  that they put on  live music at least three times per week or consistently feature it as part of a wider cultural programme, and that they have an organizational focus on music with other services (alcohol, food, merchandise) being subsidiary or dependent on music activity.

The size of grant awards will be based on an individual venue’s business rates liabilities with the maximum amount that can be applied for being 35% of its 2025/26 business rates liability or £20k.

Applications for funding are open via the Music Venue Trust website until Friday, Nov. 28, with applicants notified of outcomes by Friday, Dec. 19. Payment information will then be provided to successful applicants and payments made by Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. The application form with full details can be found here.

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