Grassroots music venue live performances have fallen by 17% since 2019

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has called for a review of VAT for venue ticket sales after a report found that grassroot music venue live performances have fallen by 17% since 2019.

In a survey, MVT which represents almost 1,000 UK local music venues, found that audience numbers had also dropped by 11%.

The MVT 2022 annual report found a decline of 16.7% over the past three years, which MVT put down to significant cutbacks made by venues. 

It has urged more support from the government and is calling for a review of VAT for venue ticket sales as it is, “crushing the economic viability” of the sector.

Mark Davyd, chief executive of MVT, said they were pleased that grassroots music venues contribute an “enormous impact on the cultural life of our country”.

He said: “It is necessary to reiterate the precarious financial position that much of the sector still finds themselves in.”

The organisation has outlined plans for all new arenas opening in the UK to invest a percentage of every ticket sale into the grassroots music ecosystem.

It has requested that GM mayor Andy Burnham and the city council pledge to commit to this plan when the new 23,500 capacity Co-op Live Arena opens in Manchester later this year. 

Mr Davyd said that the “threat is real” and a long term economic plan is needed to keep sustaining the industry. 

“We cannot go on building more and more arenas with no plan of how to fill the stages they create in five, ten or twenty years’ time and without these new facilities playing their part in helping protect the grassroots eco-system,” he said.