The voluntary levy on large-scale music events at arenas and stadiums is already making a positive impact.
The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has just revealed a substantial increase in support from the LIVE Trust for the UK Artist Touring (UKAT) fund.
It’s less than six months since the FAC UKAT fund went live in partnership with the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Musicians’ Union. But it’s already seen funding more than double – from £125,000 in the first distribution to £300,000 in the latest round (for which applications are open here until September 11).
It follows the receipt of an additional £300,000 collected from voluntary ticket contributions at large-scale music events, including shows by Harry Styles, Take That, Wolf Alice, Lorde, Kasabian, Radiohead, Jessie Ware, Basement Jaxx and Duran Duran.
It means that as well as providing a lifeline for grassroots venues, the ticket levy is leading to payments to qualifying touring artists (including 26 in the first round of funding).
The UKAT fund provides top-up financial support to cover shortfalls in touring budgets in order to address wider economic challenges in the UK’s live music market.
By any measure, the financial support now coming through for artists is one of the most significant attempts at rebalancing the touring economy for artists at the grassroots level.
FAC CEO David Martin gave evidence in Parliament when the merits of a voluntary levy were considered by MPs. Here, he reflects on the success in getting a ticket levy adopted for large-scale events, how artists ended up benefiting alongside venues and the long-term outlook for the initiative…
The FAC has been involved in various initiatives since launching in 2009. Is the UK Artist Touring Fund one of the most significant the organisation has developed?
“I believe it is. We’ve been explicit about the fact that we are building a long-term intervention in the sector via the UK Artist Touring Fund (UKAT). The implementation of contributions from large-scale shows and adoption of the model via the LIVE Trust feels like a seismic shift for live music in this country. It’s incumbent on all of us to make it a success for the good of the industry and all of those that work in it.”
The UK government urged the adoption of the voluntary ticket levy for large-scale events, how did that help to drive the grassroots measures forward?
“I certainly think the clear message from Parliament and government – that the levy needs to be adopted at scale, or the sector risks legislative intervention – has helped to sharpen minds. The number of shows contributing to the LIVE Trust is increasing and, despite the scheme still being at an early stage, we are already seeing the genuinely significant impact that funding is having through UKAT.
"There is more to do, and government will no doubt be watching progress closely. But the sector has the opportunity to determine how this develops and to demonstrate that a voluntary approach can deliver meaningful support at the scale required.”
With the new Music Plan and PM Andy Burnham’s clear interest in the sector, is there a sense of positivity about support for music within the government?
“I think there’s a level of hope and a sense that the importance of the sector is understood. The new Prime Minister has always made his passion for music clear, but tangible change requires more than words. The music industry will want to see action. The two music commitments in Labour’s manifesto were to overcome EU touring barriers and ban ticket touting. It would be a significant signal if he can make good on those promises to start with.”
If artists can’t afford to perform, there is no live sector
David Martin
Much of the coverage around the levy was about supporting venues, how did the FAC lobby to ensure that artists also received backing from the LIVE Trust funding to help address soaring costs?
“I think that’s testament to the role that voices like the NTIA and MVT have played in highlighting the cause of clubs and venues. The FAC has always advocated for the importance of the wider music industry ecosystem, backing initiatives that don’t directly fund artists, whether that’s campaigning for support for music businesses during the pandemic or calling for business rates relief for venues.
“However, artists and other music makers have too often been at the back of the queue when it comes to direct support. For instance, during the pandemic, when others in the industry were provided with emergency grants. So, on the work around touring, we have been unapologetic about making the case for artists.
“The wider sector and those in Whitehall have increasingly recognised that, if you don’t get artists out performing, the problems in the live sector can’t be solved. And when you hear directly from artists, their case is incredibly compelling. The evidence that Lily Fontaine [English Teacher] and Joff Oddie [Wolf Alice] gave in Parliament on this topic was so impactful because it was incontrovertible. We have helped create the space for artists to explain the economic reality of touring, and I think that has had a huge impact.
Wolf Alice's Joff Oddie, FAC's David Martin, Music Venue Trust's Mark Davyd and Globe Town's Marit Berning giving evidence to MPs in May 2025
“In some ways, it’s easier and more tangible for people to comprehend the loss of a physical space. It’s harder to grasp the economics of live music, to recognise that artists are the largest employers in the sector, and to see past what can look like the glamour of being on stage in front of an audience.
“Our job has been to evidence that case and amplify the experiences of artists in a way that resonates. Crucially, the fans understand it too. The Music Fans’ Voice survey, drawing on responses from more than 8,000 people, showed that artists are overwhelmingly the primary reason people attend live shows, discover events and spend money within venues. It also found that 93% supported the principle of a £1 levy on arena and stadium tickets to sustain grassroots live music. The relationship between artists and fans is the beating heart of the live sector, and the £1 contribution gives those at the top of the industry an opportunity to reinvest in that relationship.
“Ultimately, a room without music in it is no longer a music venue. If artists can’t afford to perform, there is no live sector. That is the case we made consistently, and I think the decision by the LIVE Trust to directly fund artists through the UK Artist Touring Fund reflects the strength of that argument.”
The UKAT fund has already received the biggest uplift in backing – from £125,000 to £300,000 – does that signal the early success of the initiative? How did you secure that big boost in funding?
“This is really a question for the LIVE Trust. We can only control what we do and make the best case on behalf of the UK’s artists. I think the Trust has recognised the validity of the case for directly supporting artists that we have helped to set out over the last three years.
The Access Fund is an important part of making the live ecosystem more inclusive
David Martin
Are there any positive stories you could highlight from the first round of 26 artists who have received funding?
“There are lots of great individual stories, and I’d recommend that people spend some time getting to know all of the artists funded in Phase One. But rather than focusing on specific cases, I think the real success story is that we did what we said we would do: we got the money into the hands of artists quickly, transparently and through a fair, open process.
“We established an Access Fund to help make touring more inclusive, and we were clear about UKAT’s mission to support artists from all backgrounds, genres, career stages and regions of the country.
“While there is always more to do, we’ve been upfront about the fund’s limitations in the early phases, and honest about the fact that we’re on a journey. Phase One proved the concept we developed and demonstrated both the impact of this kind of direct support and the huge demand – and need – for it.”
What does the expansion of the application criteria mean for artists in the next round, how is the UKAT fund evolving? Does the fund help with international touring including the costs involved with playing in the EU?
“UKAT is focused on domestic touring, and we don’t want to further complicate the already complex funding landscape that artists must navigate. For international touring support, we would point artists towards the work being done by PRS Foundation and the BPI. Alongside that, we continue to work with colleagues across the sector and in government to push for the removal of barriers to touring in the EU.
“For Phase Two, we have expanded UKAT’s criteria around unconfirmed shows, the window for eligible activity plus support slots and festival appearances, alongside increasing the maximum amount of funding available.
“These changes reflect our hyperfocus on making UKAT as artist-centred as possible. Each responds to the practical realities of how touring works and the challenges artists face. Ultimately, the fund needs to give artists the flexibility and support they need to succeed, because that, in turn, strengthens the entire live sector.”
Will there be a wider positive impact from the fund on the music community, including artists, managers and promoters? How will the additional Access Fund also help to open opportunities?
“Absolutely. We worked closely with the MMF and the MU to develop UKAT because the careers of managers and session musicians are so closely tied to artists’ live activity.
“The same principle applies across the board: the supply chain of people and services that rely on live activity for their income need artists to be out performing. The same is true of promoters, venues and festivals. A healthy ecosystem is an active one.
“Promoters play a crucial role in working with artists to develop careers, scenes and movements, and we’re delighted to see the AIP rolling out initiatives to support the UK’s independent promoters.
“The Access Fund is an important part of making the live ecosystem more inclusive. Touring can involve additional barriers and costs for artists and crew with access requirements, which can make already challenging economics even harder. By providing dedicated support towards those needs, we can help ensure that more artists have a fair opportunity to tour – and that audiences across the country get to experience a broader and more representative range of talent.”
We want UKAT to become a long-term and genuinely groundbreaking intervention in the live sector
David Martin
Sub Focus recently became the first DJ to pledge to the LIVE Trust, will you be ensuring a range of genres including electronic music benefit from the initiative?
“Absolutely. UKAT is – and always will be – open to artists from every genre. We have been explicit about electronic music in the eligibility criteria for precisely that reason: releasing artists whose primary form of live performance is DJing are eligible to apply.
“It was hugely positive to see Sub Focus become the first DJ to make this pledge. Other electronic artists, including Max Cooper and Bicep, have also contributed to the LIVE Trust, so there is real momentum building. We want that breadth to be reflected both in who supports the Trust and in the artists who benefit from it.”
You just announced a partnership with the Northern Music Export Office, how will that help to further embed the programme more widely across the country? Is that a model for future partnerships?
“We’re hugely positive about the partnership with the Northern Music Export Office and are looking forward to working together closely. UKAT is open to artists from every region and nation of the UK, and it’s important that both the opportunity and the funding reach artists right across the country.
“Working with trusted regional partners helps us embed the programme more deeply within local music communities, reach artists who may not otherwise engage with national funding opportunities, and ensure we better understand the different circumstances and challenges they face.
“We very much hope this will become a model for further regional and national collaboration. We look forward to working with more partners in this way, helping to ensure that artists everywhere can access UKAT and that the fund reflects the breadth of talent, genres and music communities across the UK.”
Finally, as costs continue to rise and artists face barriers to touring, what are the long-term ambitions for the UKAT fund – how do you expect it to expand and transform the landscape for artists and live music?
“Our long-term ambition is to build on what is working: more of the same direct support for artists, alongside the sensible evolution of the fund as we learn from each phase and from the artists who use it.
“We want UKAT to become a long-term and genuinely groundbreaking intervention in the live sector – one that helps make touring viable for more artists and recognises that supporting artists directly benefits the entire ecosystem around them. If artists can get out and perform, that activity supports managers, musicians, crew, promoters, venues and local music communities across the country.
“We’re proud to be part of developing that model, but we also recognise that lasting change requires the wider sector to work together. We will continue to collaborate with partners in good faith, listen to artists and use the evidence from each phase to strengthen and expand the fund. Ultimately, we want UKAT to help create a live music landscape in which artists from every genre, background and part of the UK have a fairer and more sustainable opportunity to tour.”
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