LIVE Trust makes first distribution of £500,000

Grassroots venues will be the main beneficiaries of the first funding round from the LIVE Trust, with independent festivals receiving £50,000. Launched in January last year, the Trust raised £500,000 within three months through a voluntary £1 levy on tickets sold at venues with capacities over 5,000. LIVE confirmed further funding rounds will take place this year, with millions more already pledged from upcoming arena and stadium shows.

The initial £500,000 distribution targets organisations able to deliver immediate impact across the grassroots music sector. The Music Venue Trust has received £200,000, while £125,000 has been allocated to the UK Artists Touring Fund, delivered by the Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum and Musicians’ Union. The Association of Independent Festivals has been awarded £50,000 for its Micro & Very Small Festivals Development Programme, which supports grassroots festival organisers through training, resources, skills development and ongoing peer, marketing and ticketing support.

Grassroots promoters will also benefit, with £75,000 awarded to the Association of Independent Promoters’ Grassroots Bursary Scheme, designed to support new and emerging promoters and strengthen the UK’s live music pipeline. Additional funding includes support for the Volume Control initiative at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Centre, creating pathways into the music and live events industry, and £10,000 for Production Futures’ Music Futures programme, which provides hands-on experience and career exploration for young people and those not in education, employment or training.

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