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DARK SECRETS: The music venue trust - The Real Truth

The Independent and Music Venue Trust relaunch Main Stage initiative to support UK grassroots music venues

Campaign, which highlights the best grassroots music venues across the UK and the people working tirelessly to keep them alive, returns for summer 2026

The Independent 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

Ticket fees: UK gig-goers fight back against new wave of charges

Fans are questioning additional ‘restoration’ costs for new stadiums and lament lack of transparency

The Guardian - UK

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'Give us your f**king money': Danny Dyer slams UK government in expletive-filled Rolling Stone UK Awards speech

The actor used his hosting slot to champion grassroots music venues and call for greater support for the arts

Evening Standard

“An incredible gesture, demonstrating once again that artists absolutely understand how vital grassroots music venues are to their careers and to their communities”: Sam Fender to donate his Mercury winnings to the Music Venue Trust

Singer songwriter had already raised £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour

MusicRadar

Sam Fender donates £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to grassroots venues

Sam Fender is giving his entire Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

BANG Premier

The Guardian view on live music: a scheme to spread the sound around deserves support

Editorial: More gigs would be a good thing, and a voluntary £1 levy for grassroots venues could help

The Guardian - UK

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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

Will $1 on your ticket help save Australian live music? A UK model is much more ambitious

The Australian Music Venue Foundation launched this month to advocate for and potentially administer an arena ticket levy to support grassroots live music venues. Funds would be raised through a small levy, approximately A$1 per ticket, on the price of tickets to large music events, over 5,000 capacity.

The Conversation

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

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

“The contribution from these shows will keep venues open”: Katy Perry to donate £1 from every ticket sold on her 2025 UK tour to small venues

US singer joins Coldplay as latest arena artist to donate to MVT

MusicRadar

Katy Perry announces UK tour with one important twist

Singer played her first ever UK show at a local venue in London back in 2008

The Independent UK

London's pubs and gig venues hail proposed stadium levy as 'monumental step forward' for live music scene

A levy may be included in the price of tickets at venues such as Wembley Stadium and the O2 arena to help fund grassroots venues

Evening Standard

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The Independent UK

Coldplay’s Chris Martin falls through trap door on stage while performing in Melbourne

Martin can be seen getting back up and did not look visibly injured

Metal Hammer

Music Venue Trust warns of "complete collapse of live music" in the UK as government cuts business rate tax relief

Over 350 grassroots music venues, 75,000 events and more than 12,000 jobs are at risk, say the Music Venue Trust

The Independent UK

Chris Martin reveals milestone that will mark the end of Coldplay: ‘We’re trying to improve’

Band’s frontman said it was ‘important’ for them to have a limit

The Independent UK

Coldplay announce massive UK stadium tour with a twist

Band have announced a generous initiative that could influence other stadium-sized acts

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The Independent UK

Inside Voodoo in Belfast, a rock and metal-friendly venue with community at its heart

As The Independent’s initiative to support grassroots music venues continues, owner Ciaran Smyth explains the ‘steep learning curve’ that led to him taking on this hub for live gigs

The Independent UK

Main Stage: Old Bakery Studios in Truro is latest spotlight grassroots music venue

Owner Cath King runs the thriving former bakery with a dedicated team, from lighting and sound engineers to marketing and art designers

Evening Standard

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

The Independent UK

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)

Metal Hammer

Liberté, egalité, solidarité: The night four "mean Frenchy bitches" lit up London with Brutal Pop, discothèque-noir and punk rock fire

SUN shines while heading up a new, noisy French revolution in Brixton

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