Applications are now open for the latest round of the Liveline Fund, designed to support the UK grassroots music sector, following several successful pilot projects.
Delivered by Music Venue Trust (MVT) in partnership with Save Our Scene (SOS) and the Association Of Independent Promoters (AIP), the initiative identifies the specific barriers preventing shows, tours and local programming from happening and seeks to remove them through targeted, incentive-led support.
It is open to grassroots venues, independent promoters, in-house venue programmers and artist representatives – including managers, booking agents and artists themselves
Funding can support individual shows, tour dates, regular venue programmes, promoter development initiatives and longer-term activity that strengthens local live music ecosystems.
The scheme operates across four funding streams designed to address the structural challenges that have made grassroots touring increasingly difficult across the UK:
- The Guarantorship Scheme underwrites up to 80% of approved losses on eligible shows, reducing financial risk for venues and promoters while allowing them to retain any profits from successful events
- The Tour Extension & Regional Access Fund helps artists and promoters extend tours into communities that are increasingly being bypassed because of travel costs, accommodation expenses and geographical challenges, reconnecting underserved parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the national touring circuit.
- The Local Scene Development Fund supports venues and promoters building sustainable local music ecosystems through regular programming and promoter development, through covering venue hire costs and promoter training.
- Genre Specific Safety and Access Fund supports genres, scenes and communities that carry extra costs or face additional barriers to putting on a night.
With Liveline, we are all working together to bring truly revolutionary support to the market
Mark Davyd, Music Venue Trust
Every application is assessed individually, allowing support to be tailored to the specific circumstances of each venue, promoter, artist or tour.
“The collapse of touring across the UK requires a robust and coordinated response from venues, bookers, promoters, agents, managers and artists,” said Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd. “With Liveline, we are all working together to bring truly revolutionary support to the market.
“Liveline means everyone involved in creating, producing, developing and delivering a show, can move forward with confidence, get shows happening, and be focused on the need to reignite towns and cities across the country with the thrill of extraordinary live music. We are a music nation, and music is written deep into our history. Liveline ensures music remains part of our future.”
Funding for the initiative has been provided by Coldplay, who donated 10% of their proceeds from their 2025 UK stadium tour to support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters, and the LIVE Trust.
“Independent promoters are a major force behind live music in communities across the UK, but too often they’re forced to make decisions based on financial risk rather than artistic ambition,” said AIP chair Luke Hinton. “Liveline gives promoters the confidence to back emerging artists, develop new audiences and invest in local music scenes that might otherwise be left behind.
“We’re proud to be partnering with Music Venue Trust and Save Our Scene on an initiative that recognises promoters as an essential part of the grassroots music ecosystem and helps create more opportunities for live music to thrive.”
Applications for support through the Liveline Fund are now open here.
“If you are a venue, a promoter or an artist who has been struggling to make it work, this fund was built for you,” added George Fleming, CEO of SOS. “For too long, we have watched the pipeline that produces world class talent shrink and Liveline is our answer to that. We are so proud to be working alongside a small but amazing team of people bringing that answer to life.”
PHOTO (L-R): George Fleming (founder & CEO, Save Our Scene), Louise McGovern (live coordinator, Music Venue Trust), Rebecca Walker (live projects manager, Music Venue Trust), Alex Glyde (brand & marketing manager, Save Our Scene)
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.musicweek.com ’
