Paul McCartney has spoken out in support of the MVT, saying in 2016 that "If we don’t support live music at this level then the future of music in general is in danger".[3]
History
Concerned by a growing number of closures across the United Kingdom and therefore the decline in the number of spaces available for artists to perform and connect with audiences, a group of passionate individuals came together in 2014 to form the organisation. Recognising the vital role that music venues play in not only nurturing talent, fostering creativity, and providing memorable experiences but also bringing communities together, MVT adopted a proactive approach to protect and champion these essential cultural spaces.
Issues
One of the key reasons for the foundation of the MVT was the closure of many music venues, such as Brighton's Blind Tiger Club, due to noise complaints;[4] this is especially important as noise complaints are becoming more frequent, as new laws have been introduced that make it easier to convert offices into housing.[5] Another key concern that the MVT claims is facing venues is Arts Council England's lack of funding for venues; Beverley Whitrick, Strategic Director of the MVT, said in 2017 she could not estimate how many clubs would close in the next five years.[6]
Initiatives
The MVA founded an international affiliate organisation in Austin, Texas in 2016, targeting state taxes that are seen as punitive towards local venues,[7] as well as the MVA New Zealand, where they advocating to have Agent of Change recognised and adopted.[8] To clarify its political aims ahead of the 2017 general election, the MVT launched a "Manifesto for Music 2017" in May of that year.[9] Two months later, in order to help fight the issues and closures that music venues in the UK were facing, the MVT announced that they would cooperate with Live Nation Entertainment's Ticketweb to sell "Grassroots Venues Tickets", which had a part of their service charge donated to help fund the MVT's efforts.[10]
Grassroots Levy
In 2015 MVT published "Understanding Small Music Venues – A report by the Music Venue Trust" in which it stated "Sustainable models for channeling investment from the upper echelons of the music industry into the grassroots circuit should be devised and implemented without delay." [11][12]. In 2018 the charity called for the music industry to commit to a "Pipeline Investment Fund" to support activity in the grassroots sector of the music industry [13]. Giving evidence at the Live Music Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Wednesday 10 October 2018, Mark Davyd, CEO of MVT referred to a live-music tax of 3% on the price of any ticket in France. [14]
Speaking at Venues Day in London in October 2023 DCMS Select Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP announced a hearing and review into the crisis facing grassroots music venues (GMVS) [15][16]
In May 2024 the UK's Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS) published a major report on Grassroots Music Venues (GMVs), urging a voluntary ticket levy on major concerts by September 2024 [17] The Government's response, published on November 14, included the statement "We agree with the Committee’s recommendation that the music industry should introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters." to which the CMS Committee responded [18][19]. In his response on November 27 Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant wrote that the Government wants to see ‘tangible progress’ by the first quarter of next year to meet the timeline of a levy coming in as soon as possible for concerts in 2025. He also announced that he will hold a ministerial roundtable before Christmas (2024) with live music representatives to drive progress. [20][21]
In May 2022, the MVT launched Music Venue Properties, a charitable community benefit society to raise money in order to purchase grassroots music venues and preserve them.[23] The grassroots venues it owns are leased to operators on favourable terms under a long-term "Cultural Lease". It has been described as "the National Trust for music venues".
Music Venue Properties was founded in 2021 as a charitable community benefit society, at a time when grassroots music venues across the UK were under threat, with a third of venues being lost in the previous 20 years.[24] They launched their first fundraising campaign, "Own Our Venues", in May 2022, with the aim of raising up to £3,500,000 to purchase nine grassroots music venues across the UK.[24] The campaign concluded in March 2023, after £2,318,210 had been raised from 1,261 individual investors.[25]
In October 2023, The Snug, a 100-capacity venue in Atherton, Greater Manchester, was the first venue to be purchased.[26][27]
In May 2025, Music Venue Properties announced their second fundraising campaign, with the aim of purchasing a further seven venues.[28][29]
Venues
As of November2025[update], Music Venue Properties owns seven music venues:[30][31]
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