Harry Styles levy funds UK touring crisis relief for grassroots musicians
A new £1 ticket fee for concerts featuring artists like Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, and My Chemical Romance has raised £5 million for the UK's Live Trust charity. They’re initially distributing £500,000, with £125,000 going to musicians and the remaining £375,000 aimed at grassroots venues and festivals. For instance, Norwich's Brown Horse band received nearly £5,000 for their October tour. They’re among 26 acts benefiting from this funding, which also includes artists like VIC and Ego Ella May. The Featured Artists Coalition, led by Blur’s David Rowntree, manages the fund, citing Brexit and the cost of living as contributors to the touring crisis. Participation in this voluntary fee is low, prompting ministers to consider making it mandatory.
Key facts
- £1 levy on arena/stadium tickets from Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Lily Allen, Take That, Foo Fighters, Florence and the Machine, Lorde, My Chemical Romance
- £5 million raised for Live Trust
- First £500,000 distributed: £125,000 to musicians, £375,000 to grassroots venues, promoters, festivals, producers
- Brown Horse received nearly £5,000 for October UK tour
- 26 acts share first instalment including VIC, Ego Ella May, Wax Head, Hollie Cook, Elephant Sessions
- FAC chaired by Blur drummer David Rowntree administers musician share
- Levy voluntary; fewer than a third of concerts participated; government may make it legal requirement
- Music Venue Trust funds equipment, renewable energy, accommodation projects
Entities
Artists
- Harry Styles
- Olivia Dean
- Lily Allen
- Take That
- Foo Fighters
- Florence and the Machine
- Lorde
- My Chemical Romance
- Brown Horse
- Patrick Turner
- Emma Tovell
- David Rowntree
- Blur
- VIC
- Ego Ella May
- Wax Head
- Hollie Cook
- The Slits
- Elephant Sessions
- Alasdair Taylor
Institutions
- Live Trust
- Featured Artists Coalition (FAC)
- Music Venue Trust
- BBC
- Uncut
Locations
- Norwich
- United Kingdom
- Oxford
- Wembley Stadium
- London
- Southampton
- Manchester
- West London
- Scottish Highlands
- Stromness
- Orkney
- Carlisle
- Settle