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The Latest Breaking News from Music Venue Trust

Wednesday briefing: Can we afford to be optimistic about grassroots music venues?

In today’s newsletter: Music spaces are welcoming bigger crowds again, but the industry remains fragile as rising costs and shrinking local circuits threaten the next generation of talent

The Guardian - UK

More than half of grassroots music venues did not make money in 2025 – charity

The Music Venue Trust found that despite contributing over half a billion pounds to the UK economy, grassroots music venues in the UK are struggling.

Evening Standard

Sam Fender donates his £25,000 Mercury prize winnings to Music Venue Trust charity

Chart-topping singer-songwriter adds to his previous support of charity that works on behalf of small UK venues

The Guardian - UK

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Sam Fender donates Mercury Prize winnings to charity protecting music venues

The singer from North Shields has given £25,000 to Music Venue Trust (MVT).

Evening Standard

“This isn’t just about sound, it’s about community, creativity, and giving back to the music that made us”: Marshall launches initiative to support grassroots music venues in the UK – which are facing a fight for survival

Marshall is teaming up with Music Venue Trust on ‘Marshall Nights,’ a UK-wide series to support independent venues and breakthrough artists

Guitar World

Festival promoter brands Royal Albert Hall levy scheme ‘ludicrous’

Industry veteran John Giddings claims levy means ‘charging the general public’ and insists artists should instead be doing more to support the venues they started out in

The Independent UK

Music Venue Trust teams up with ‘people’s social media platform’ WeAre8

Partnership aims to promote local artists and the venues they’re performing at

The Independent UK

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Music venues closing under ‘extreme and totally unnecessary financial pressures’

The Music Venue Trust said the closure rate is less than in 2023.

The Independent UK

Coldplay to donate 10% of band earnings from 2025 UK tour to Music Venue Trust

Charity says band are a perfect example of an act that rose through the grassroots circuit and their support ‘really will stop venues closing’

The Guardian - UK

MPs urged to ‘seize the moment’ and support grassroots music venues ahead of general election

Music Venue Trust also calls for a fan-led review to fully examine the challenges faced by the sector

The Independent UK

What is the ticket tax MPs are proposing?

Billie Eilish and MPs have backed the idea – now charity wants all massive concerts to give something back

Evening Standard

Concert arenas urged to add £1 ticket levy to help small UK venues

Industry leaders say crisis-hit grassroots spaces are struggling to stay open as costs rise

The Guardian - UK

East London music venue among those that could close unless the industry takes action

The Music Venue Trust want a levy on arenas to support small clubs and bars

Evening Standard

Gigs are the top occasions adults choose to spend their money on, according to research

A poll of 2,000 adults who attend live events found they prefer a concert (63 per cent) over theatre shows (14 per cent)

The Independent UK

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Evening Standard

FREENOW pledges £1 per ride to help save the UK's live music venues

The Ride for Music campaign has been commended by celebrities across the country, including Ed Sheeran and Amy Lamé

The Guardian - UK

‘Costs are out of control’: small UK music venues struggle to stay open

Music Venue Trust says 127 grassroots sites have closed or stopped offering music since last summer

Belfast Live

City Hall "ringfences" £20,000 for Belfast music venues

Belfast venues can apply for grants following the council's investment in new fund

Daily Record

Bathgate star Luke La Volpe hits the road this summer on United By Music Tour

Luke will play eight shows starting on September 1 at the Dreadnought

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Liverpool Echo

20 gigs in 20 venues to celebrate arrival of Eurovision

Jamie Webster, Miles Kane, Lightning Seeds, The CRAWLERS and The Mysterines are some of the first acts announced

The Guardian - UK

Charity raises £2.1m to buy and save grassroots music venues in UK

Music Venue Trust’s campaign, backed by Ed Sheeran, initially plans to buy nine venues from landlords

Bristol Post

Iconic Bristol music venues receive combined £14,000 in lifeline funding for 'struggling' industry

It was one of three popular venues to receive funding

Belfast Live

Black Box Belfast selected for UK-wide grant aimed at improving grassroots spaces

This is the third round of payments and sees a total sum of £55,203 awarded to music venues across the UK

Manchester Evening News

Bosses behind Manchester's £365m Co-op Live arena respond after they're told to 'step up'

Co-op Live will open in December and have a capacity of 23,500 - the largest in the UK

Manchester Evening News

Music charity defends live music scene after new poll claiming gigs are ‘too expensive’

The Music Venue Trust says there are plenty of gigs to check out for under a tenner

Bristol Post

The unassuming Bristol venue where Amy Winehouse, Muse and Dua Lipa have all played

The venue has just received a grant that will help safeguard its 35-year legacy as a gig venue

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