Politicians urged to avoid wasting UK grassroots music venues and libraries, by urgently investing within the arts

Forward of the overall election, politicians from all events are being urged to take motion to assist save the UK’s music and library sectors from a deepening disaster.

Small music venues are being decimated in Britain. In 2023, 125 venues deserted stay music, and greater than half shut completely as a consequence of monetary strain. Hovering utility payments and a mean 37.5 p.c hike in lease have put the surviving 835 venues in danger. Throughout the identical interval, remaining venues sometimes secured income of simply 0.5 p.c.  

These alarming figures had been gathered by the Music Venues Belief (MVT), a charity which represents Grassroots Music Venues (GMVs) throughout the UK. Its newest annual report discovered that the grassroots scene stays “considerably underfunded in comparison with different areas of tradition”, regardless of contributing over £500m to the economic system and using nearly 30,000 folks.

Separate figures from the Evening Time Industries Affiliation (NTIA) present that the UK has misplaced 5 nightclubs “each week” in 2024 to this point.

Forward of the forthcoming normal election, the MVT has launched a ‘Manifesto for Grassroots Music,’ setting out steps that must be taken to cease the closure of extra GMVs, that are at present working at one per week.

The report requires the abolition of VAT on GMV tickets and a assessment of the enterprise charges paid by venues within the sector. Additionally it is asking for a £1 grassroots funding contribution from each enviornment and stadium ticket bought to assist grassroots music, venues, artists and promoters. The £1 levy from each enviornment and stadium ticket bought for occasions over a 5,000 capability was instructed by the latest Tradition, Media & Sport Choose Committee suggestions as a possible resolution to the UK’s dwindling variety of small-scale music venues.

The transfer would mimic the French system the place there’s a centralised pot of about €200m (£172m) that venues, artists, and promoters can apply for, which is funded by a levy on the gross worth of tickets bought at massive venues.

Urging politicians to behave now, Sophie Brownlee, Exterior Affairs Supervisor at Music Venue Belief, stated:  

“The Manifesto is being delivered to each potential MP within the nation with the request that they arrive out in assist of it as a part of their marketing campaign to be elected.

“Music communities throughout the nation may even be asking the candidates the place they stand on the way forward for stay music in our cities and cities. The time to behave is now.” 

The Larger Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham has spoken out in assist of the proposed plan, together with the £1 levy and the VAT lower.

“Music Venue Belief has been instrumental in supporting UK grassroots venues. I’ve seen lots of my favorite bands in a few of these areas, and so they play a key position within the night-time economic system and music scene of Larger Manchester and the broader UK.

“I totally assist the suggestions printed by the Tradition, Media & Sport Choose Committee together with the introduction of a levy and a focused VAT lower to halt the rising tide of closures. Nevertheless, it’s clear that pressing motion is required to assist venues and the proficient artists enjoying them,” he added.

Alongside music venues, the destiny of Britain’s libraries has additionally been raised as we method the overall election. For the reason that Conservatives got here to energy in 2010, council budgets have been more and more stretched, with successive central governments reducing grant funding. For the reason that onset of austerity, council spending on libraries, tradition, heritage and tourism, has lowered by nearly £500m, as the most recent assessment from County Councils Community (CCN) found. Going through elevated monetary strain, native authorities have commonly seen libraries as a simple place to make financial savings. Within the final 14 years, spending on libraries has fallen by nearly half (47.9%) since 2010. 

“For the final 10 years libraries have needed to do extra with much less,” says James Gray, advertising and advocacy supervisor for the charity Libraries Related. “There comes a degree the place there’s no fats left to trim.”

The challenges UK libraries face was highlighted on the Manchester Metropolis of Literature’s Pageant of Libraries 2024. The annual occasion celebrates Larger Manchester’s 133 libraries. The five-day programme of arts, tradition, info and know-how is supported by Arts Council England and features a collection of talks with high-profile advocates of libraries and literacy.

Actor Christopher Eccleston was among the many audio system. Addressing an viewers at Stockport Central Library on June 13, Eccleston shared his ardour for libraries and books and highlighted a few of the challenges libraries face, together with funding cuts. He famous how Britian must correct arts funding system in place just like the French and he hoped that there can be extra change of getting arts on the agenda with the brand new authorities.

“As an actor, phrases are the instruments of my commerce. After I was rising up in Salford the native library offered a vibrant lifeline to the broader world. Libraries feed folks’s pursuits and passions and supply entry resulting in connections being solid,” stated Eccleston.

Caroline Kelly, the competition’s Artistic Director, stated the target of the competition is to let folks know that libraries are free and for the folks. She instructed Left Foot Ahead:

“These important group areas supply a lot extra than simply books. They supply free web and something from music gigs, poetry nights, drama lessons, yoga periods, homicide thriller, historical past, enterprise recommendation and entry to the humanities. Libraries are such a vital service that shouldn’t be lower or underfunded, particularly in these instances.

“Maxine Peake and Chris Eccleston, who each spoke on the competition, stated they might not be the place they’re now with their native library while rising up.”

Actors Imelda Staunton and Olivia Colman have additionally referred to as for pressing political assist for the humanities in mild of analysis by Fairness suggesting funding within the UK has dropped by 16 p.c since 2017.

“I need to see all events promising far more on the humanities. They aren’t only a ‘good to have’, they’re important to the thriving, assured nation all of us need to stay in,” stated Staunton.

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Ahead

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