
Manchester City Council has announced plans to support grassroots music venues in the city with a £250,000 fund.
Recent huge shows in the city – including five sold-out Oasis gigs at Heaton Park, as well as performances from the likes of Charli XCX and Billie Eilish – have attracted roughly 1.3 million tourists, leading to a financial boost for the city’s creative scene.
Manchester Evening News has now reported specific details of where the newly available funds will be distributed. Part of the finances will be reinvested into the parkland which has been hosting these huge shows, with the remaining £250,000 going into a fund that will be available for small music venues.
The urgent need for support for grassroots venues has been an ongoing issue throughout the last year or so – including a recent Government Committee where industry leaders urged politicians to do more to save venues and protect new artists.
The main proposal of a compulsory £1 ticket levy on arena level and above gigs has dominated the talk within the industry, with many claiming that the current voluntary-style levy will not trickle down to grassroots venues before it’s too late.
Mark Davyd, Music Venue Trust (MVT) CEO, warned a Government committee back in May that it could be another decade before a full levy is in place, saying: “Of nearly 6 million tickets that have been released since the December 18 ministerial meeting when we all agreed that it was going to be on every ticket, 92 per cent of those tickets don’t have it.”
This announcement of a new £250,000 fund in Manchester has received praise from the music world, as industry leaders are urging other councils to follow in their footsteps.
Jay Taylor of Music Venue Trust spoke of this new fund, saying: “It’s inspiring to see Manchester recognise its place as one of the world’s leading music cities, and acknowledge that the fantastic grassroots music venue network in the city is an essential cornerstone of the amazing music being produced by Manchester artists.
“Manchester City Council has taken the lead with this bold and innovative action, and we hope many more cities and towns across the country can join their efforts to secure the future of the UK’s grassroots music venue network.”
Music Venue Trust, which “acts to protect, secure and improve UK grassroots music venues”, published a report in 2024 where they found that a “disaster” had hit independent venues – with an average of 10 nightclubs closing down every week in 2024.
Manchester City Council leader, Bev Craig, echoed this sentiment as he announced the new fund, saying: “We know that across the country grassroots venues are struggling. That’s why we want to ensure that our grassroots venues can share some of the benefits from the success of those big events.”
Although more clearly needs to be done – in terms of legislation and true change – the news of a £250,000 fund for smaller venues comes as a beacon of hope for the music industry. Keep up to date with this ongoing issue here at mxdwn.co.uk.