The renowned musician Ed Sheeran, who acknowledges the importance of grassroots music venues in nurturing talent, has given his full support and embraces the new scheme, in light of the current challenges faced by independent music venues in the UK. These include high operating costs exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and a slow industry recovery from the pandemic, various initiatives have been launched to provide support.
The latest scheme to provide such support is ‘Ride for Music’ a campaign recently launched by mobility app FREENOW. Under this scheme, the app pledges £1 for every taxi ride to the UK’s Music Venue Trust, a charity that works towards safeguarding and enhancing venues in the UK. FREENOW has committed to a minimum pledge of £200,000.
“FREENOW’s Ride For Music initiative will donate £1 for every taxi ride booked through the app to MVT, at no extra cost to the customer.”https://t.co/VLonynxwXS @BigIssue @FreeNow_UK
— Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust) October 18, 2023
Michelle de Maat, Head of Marketing at FREENOW UK said, “Music has such a positive impact on people’s lives and on their mental wellbeing, so supporting live music and preserving venues is key to making city life more vibrant for all. By contributing to the resilience of these vital spaces during such challenging times, we aim to ensure that the stages remain lit, and artists have a place to showcase their talent. Ultimately, this supports our users, drivers and all those who rely on these exceptional venues and a thriving nightlife throughout the country.”
Mark Davyd, Founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, added, “The Ride for Music initiative gives every music fan in the UK an opportunity to play a role in directly supporting grassroots music venues. It’s exactly the type of joined up, creative thinking that we need to tackle the crisis facing our grassroots sector. People can make a genuine difference helping to prevent venue closures, support artists, crew and staff. FREENOW have made it simple for you to be part of the solution, and help the whole music and night time economy.”
Ed Sheeran said “Like so many musicians, I started out playing in grassroots music venues. They are such a vital part of the music ecosystem. Without them, I definitely would not have had the chance to hone my craft and become the artist I am today. I applaud the Ride for Music campaign and hope it raises loads of money for Music Venue Trust, who work tirelessly to both protect and promote these wonderful spaces.”
In 2008, Ed Sheeran relocated to London with the intention of pursuing a career in music. He began by performing at small venues and engaging in busking. The success of Sheeran and the necessity of grassroots venues in providing a crucial stepping stone for all musical talents is evident. This has led to the global stardom of artists such as Ed Sheeran.
With support from big ticket companies such as Ticketmaster and WeGotTickets along with the governments investment pledge of £5milliion back in June this year. There is hope for the survival of grassroot venues, which play a vital role on metal health according to recent publications from the Big Issue, they stated “The UK is a nation of music lovers – in a new survey, 89% said live concerts have a positive effect on their mental health – yet the spiralling cost of living crisis has caused many to forgo that wellbeing boost.”
By using FREENOW for their taxi rides, individuals can contribute towards the promotion of live music across the country. Further information on downloading FREENOW can be found on the official website. You can also click here to donate and help support Music Venue Trust in it’s pledge to aid the survival of grassroot venues.
