CMS Committee welcomes Govt support for grassroots music venues levy
November 14, 2024
By Colin Mann
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the UK House of Commons has welcomed Government backing for a levy on arena and stadium concert tickets to support the struggling grassroots music sector but has called for Ministers to set a clear deadline for the industry to act.
The recommendation for a voluntary levy, to be administered by a trust led by a sector umbrella body, was made in a report by the previous Committee in the last Parliament as a way of supporting a grassroots music sector that last year experienced the closure of venues at a rate of two a week.
While welcoming the Government’s recognition of the need for a levy, the Committee is calling for clarity on how long the industry has to take action before the Government itself steps in. In a letter to the Secretary of State on the Government’s response, the Committee says if no significant progress is made, it will hold a hearing with the sector in six months’ time.
The letter also expresses concern that long-term reforms set out by the Government, such as permanently lower business rates for venues from 2026, will not address the short-term rate of closures and cost of touring. The Government should also look again at its rejection of the recommendation for a fan-led review of music, the Committee says.
“The sheer number of venues in our local communities being forced to shut up shop each week has hammered home the stark reality of the struggles facing artists, promoters and others working in grassroots music,” stated Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee. “There are warnings of an even gloomier future.”
“While the Government has dialled up the volume on the message that swift action on a levy is needed from the bigger players who pack out arenas and stadiums, the lack of a firm deadline for movement risks allowing matters to drift.”
“Without healthy roots, the entire live music ecosystem suffers, so it is vital that the wider industry recognises the urgency of coming up with a scheme to direct a proportion of profits back to where many careers began.”
“The Committee will keep banging the drum to make sure both the industry and Government plays it part in protecting our live performance ecosystem,” she confirmed.