Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Grassroots music venues

Status: Closed Opened: 30 Jan 2024 Closed: 22 May 2024 12 recommendations 4 conclusions 1 report

Last year, the UK experienced a net loss of 125 grassroots music venues (GMVs) across the UK, equivalent to over a tenth of the sector. GMVs are an important part of the live music ecosystem, providing a platform for up-and-coming bands and music professionals, as well as space for rehearsals, education, social programmes and other …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues HC 527 11 May 2024 16 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

7 items
1 Conclusion Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Grassroots music venues and the live music ecosystem face a deep crisis of decline.

The crisis affecting grassroots music venues and the broader live music ecosystem, including artists, promoters and festivals, is of deep concern to music lovers, local communities and all those who depend on the sector’s economic and cultural success. We also recognise and share concerns that these issues are affecting the …

Government response. The government welcomes the report, agrees that a sustainable grassroots sector is essential, and states it will work across government to champion the sector and create appropriate fiscal and regulatory conditions, also highlighting a 'community right to buy' through the …
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
3 Conclusion Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets offers a feasible immediate solution for grassroots music.

We are encouraged that stakeholders across the sector are taking a levy seriously and already coming together to propose solutions in good faith. While we agree with artists and managers that a compulsory levy on arena and stadium tickets would be the fairest and most sustainable mechanism to support grassroots …

Government response. The government agrees with the committee's stance that an industry-led voluntary levy is the most feasible path forward, urging the live music sector to act quickly, and offers to use its convening powers to facilitate discussions while monitoring progress.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
4 Recommendation Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets by September 2024 to support grassroots venues.

We recommend that the live music industry introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets no later than September 2024 to support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters.

Government response. The government agrees with the recommendation for a voluntary industry levy and urges the live music sector to act swiftly, offering to use its convening powers and monitor progress.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7 Recommendation Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Ensure broad representation and utmost transparency for the charitable trust administering live music levy funds.

There is broad consensus that a charitable organisation is best placed to administer the levy funds. While Arts Council England is already well-established and well- placed to distribute funding, we accept that a trust led by a sector umbrella body, such as the LIVE Trust or Music Venues Trust, is …

Government response. The government agrees with the recommendation for a charitable organization to administer the levy, welcoming LIVE's efforts and encouraging broad stakeholder representation, transparency, and due diligence in its management.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
11 Recommendation Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Reduce administrative burden for live music sector when applying for public funding.

We welcome the efforts by Arts Council England to address issues resulting from the live music sector’s ability to access public funding raised in our predecessor committee’s ‘Live music’ inquiry six years ago, and indeed grassroots music venues said that ACE funding through Covid had been a lifeline. However, we …

Government response. The government acknowledges the challenges and states it is working closely with Arts Council England to ensure the funding application process is accessible. It appreciates ACE's ongoing efforts and encourages continued improvement.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
13 Recommendation Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Instruct successor committee to monitor progress of PRS for Music's Tariff Review.

The comprehensive Tariff Review, due to begin in summer 2024, is a useful opportunity to consider how concerns that have been raised with us, such as litigation, the ease of navigating processes and whether a GMV-specific tariff is feasible, can be mitigated or addressed for the next period. We recommend …

Government response. The government restates the recommendation.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
14 Recommendation Seventh Report - Grassroots music venues Acknowledged

Place agent of change principles on a statutory footing at the earliest opportunity.

Despite the welcome introduction of the agent of change principles, venues are still facing a widespread risk of closures due to planning and redevelopment-related issues. We recommend that the agent of change principles are put on a statutory footing at the earliest opportunity.

Government response. The government states it will consider what can be done to improve the implementation of the existing agent of change requirement, rather than committing to putting the principles on a statutory footing.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
26 Mar 2024 Anna Moulson · Association of Independent Promoters, David Martin · Featured Artists Coalition, Gavin Larkins · PRS for Music, John Drury · National Arenas Association, Jon Collins · LIVE, Kwame Kwaten · Music Managers Forum, Lily Fontaine, Mark Davyd · Music Venue Trust, Stuart Galbraith · Concert Promoters Association View ↗