The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has announced a second wave of beneficiaries from the UK Artist Touring Fund (UKAT fund).
In total, 49 artists from across the UK will receive top-up tour support of up to £8,000 from the proceeds of £300,000 collected by the LIVE Trust, as part of a voluntary ticket contribution donated from arena and stadium shows.
The acts range from early-stage to established, across multiple genres, and include A Certain Ratio, Amelia Coburn, Bel Cobain, Caoilfhionn Rose, Gen and the Degenerates, Girls Of The Internet, Ivo Neame, Katie Gregson-Macleod, Lauren Auder, Liz Lawrence, Split Chain, Tara Lily, The Nightingales, Tom A. Smith, Venus Grrrls and Unpeople.
UKAT was launched this year in partnership with the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Musicians’ Union (MU) in order to address the cost of touring crisis, where the fixed costs for artists to perform in small and medium-sized venues outweigh the income received through ticket sales or guarantees.
UKAT aims to address this challenge at source, with the latest investment helping supplement touring costs for almost 400 live shows taking place between September 2026 and April 2027. It means that “pencilled” tour dates can go ahead, providing additional support to individuals with access or childcare requirements, and ensuring fair payment for artists, managers, musicians and crew.
Key takeaways from UKAT’s Phase Two distribution include:
• UKAT was able to fund less than 20% of the completed applications, despite increased funding available. That represents a financial shortfall of over £2m.
• They come from all four UK nations; 80% are currently based outside London
• There was a notable increase in additional support for access or childcare costs
• 80% of UKAT-supported tours will reach underserved regions or locations where artists have not previously played
• One in five tours include a combination of headline shows, support slots or festival appearances.
• 20% of awardees applied for tours with “pencilled” shows, which were subsequently confirmed ahead of awards being made
In total, 75 artists have now received funding since UKAT was launched in March 2026, supporting more than 600 live shows around the UK.
David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition, said: “Having established the UKAT fund earlier this year, this is now the second distribution we’ve made directly to artists to support their touring activity. We’re a long way from meeting demand and there’s more we can achieve, but it’s already clear how this type of targeted intervention is setting a template for the future – helping artists build financial resilience, ensuring pencilled shows take place, and that everyone involved in making a live show happen can get paid. Quite simply, it’s an investment benefitting all in the UK music business.
“For that reason, we’re incredibly grateful for the continued support of the LIVE Trust, and hope today’s announcement will encourage even more artists, promoters and venues to embrace the logic of a voluntary £1 per-ticket contribution at arena and stadium shows. Their help and generosity can go a long way to securing the future of live music in the UK.”
Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said: “From pubs and community venues, to packed out arenas and stadiums, live music has been part of our national identity for decades.
“We are proud to support this industry-led initiative, which is helping artists from all over the UK take their music to new audiences. I now urge all artists, venues, promoters and others across the industry to get behind it, so that even more artists can benefit.”
We hope today’s announcement will encourage even more artists, promoters and venues to embrace the logic of a voluntary £1 per-ticket contribution at arena and stadium shows
David Martin
Among the latest awardees are nine artists from the North East, Tees Valley and West Yorkshire, co-funded as the result of a partnership between the FAC and the Northern Music Export Office (NMEO).
They are: Amelia Coburn, Eevah, Finn Forster, Irked, Marketplace, Smith & Liddle, The Howling, Tom A Smith and Venus Grrrls.
This expansion of the UKAT fund has been coordinated by Generator, the music development organisation.
Mick Ross, CEO, Generator/Northern Music Export Office, described it as a “milestone achievement for the Northern Music Export Office and a significant step towards delivering the ambition we set out to achieve when establishing the office”.
“Seeing nine artists from the North East, Tees Valley and West Yorkshire benefit from UKAT funding through this co-investment is hugely positive,” he added. “Through this initiative, we have been able to double the level of investment available through the Northern Music Export Office, alongside a five-fold increase in the number of Northern artists successfully securing touring funding. This is a significant step forward in ensuring more Northern artists can access the support they need to develop and grow their careers.
“This support will help more Northern artists reach national audiences, build their live careers and gain the experience, confidence and opportunities they need to become export-ready. Crucially, it will also help artists develop their careers in a way that supports more sustainable touring, ensuring they can grow and succeed without compromising the financial viability or conditions of their tours."
Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE Trust, said: “LIVE Trust has made huge progress in delivering on its commitment to protect, expand and support the UK's grassroots live music ecosystem. It is fantastic to see the UK Artist Touring fund continuing to build on the success of its first distribution phase and to see its reach extend to artist support in the North East, Tees Valley and West Yorkshire through the Northern Music Export Office.
“Like our other partner programmes, working with UKAT shows the value of placing money with industry experts who understand the nuances of their sector. As more of the industry gets behind LIVE Trust, we'll be able to support even more programmes like UKAT to keep our grassroots music ecosystem thriving.”
FOLLOW 
