LIVE Trust’s Phase Two funding programme doubles the amount distributed in Phase One, providing support to new partners and taking total grants made to £1.5million
Funding has already supported nearly 700 venues, festivals, and artists, with Phase Two set to reach even more London, UK – 15 July 2026: LIVE Trust, the charity established by LIVE to protect, expand, and support grassroots live music across the UK, has doubled the amount of funding distributed through its Phase Two programme, bringing the total to £1.5 million.

The funding comes from a voluntary £1 contribution added to tickets for shows with a capacity of more than 5,000. The funding will support programmes that help keep venues open, festivals running, artists on the road, and the people behind the promotion and staging of live music.

Since launching in January 2025, LIVE Trust has secured more than 6 million ticket pledges, working with 10 promoters across more than 100 tours. Less than a year since LIVE Trust’s first meeting, the latest figures highlight the rapid and continuing growth in support for an industry-led funding model for grassroots live music.

The announcement comes as Government launches its Music Plan, which recognises LIVE Trust’s contribution to supporting grassroots live music. The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Minister for Creative Industries said: “Britain’s iconic music scene relies on our ability to put on great live shows, and it’s encouraging to see the major players stepping up to support the grassroots talent that makes music so special. This second round of funding is a testament to the growing momentum behind the Trust, and the very real difference it is making to the pipeline of UK talent. We would encourage all promoters and artists to do even more with this industry initiative.”

“The government is fully committed to supporting grassroots music, and our Music Plan published today underlines that commitment. We will continue to work hand in hand with the industry to nurture the emerging stars of the future.”

Earlier this year, LIVE Trust distributed £500,000 through its Phase One funding programme to support artists, venues, festivals, promoters, and others across the live music industry. That funding has already helped 372 venues, 211 shows and 81 festivals across the UK, demonstrating the reach and impact LIVE Trust is already having.

Phase Two doubles the funding distributed through LIVE Trust’s first round, continuing support for four key programmes while expanding into new programmes to reach even more people across the grassroots live music ecosystem:

Continued support for Phase One partners: Music Venue Trust, UK Artist Touring Fund, the Association of Independent Promoters, and the Association of Independent Festivals.
New partnerships with Youth Music and Help Musicians, allowing LIVE Trust to tap into their expertise and established infrastructure to accelerate support.
Targeted investment through Anthem Wales, Attitude is Everything, Backup Tech, and Black Lives in Music, supporting people facing geographic, financial, and accessibility barriers while developing the skilled freelance workforce that is the backbone of the industry.
Kirsty McShannon, Chair, LIVE Trust, said: “In just over a year, LIVE Trust has shown what the live music industry can achieve when it works together. We set out to create a long-term way of supporting grassroots live music and the response has been overwhelming. Every artist, promoter, venue, and festival that contributes helps secure the future of live music across the UK.”

Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE Trust, said: “LIVE Trust is already proving that money raised by the industry can be distributed quickly and effectively. Phase Two enables us to build on that success by continuing to support core programmes while working with new ones to deliver targeted support for those facing additional barriers. We are incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead, and I would like to thank every promoter, manager, venue, agent, and artist who has stepped forward to support this vital work.”

Lee Dennison, Backup Tech Chair, said: “We’re delighted and extremely grateful to be a recipient of LIVE Trust funding, which we have received to help us with Phase 2 of the ‘Financially Savvy Freelancer’ initiative that was launched in 2025 with support from The BACK LOUNGE and UK Live Event Freelancers Forum. It will help us continue to support the freelance community, and engage with the companies that rely on them to further develop this vital ecosystem within our industry.”

LIVE Trust is already working towards the next funding round, allowing more programmes to apply for support. As more tours and live events choose to include the voluntary £1 ticket contribution, LIVE Trust expects to increase the support available for the UK’s grassroots live music ecosystem.