Jeremy Corbyn and his Peace & Justice Project have announced a new campaign in a bid to push the UK Government to protect independent music venues.
The initiative, dubbed ‘A Summer To Save Music’, will comprise of six live shows at grassroots music venues up and down the country. Organised by the Music For The Many campaign, they are calling for the Government to urgently implement the proposed £1 ticket levy.
A proposal backed by the likes of Coldplay and Sam Fender, the levy would make arena-sized venues adopt a ‘Premier League model’ by paying back into the ecosystem – a pound from every ticket sale going into a grassroots fund.
The demand to support independent venues has been gaining momentum throughout the last year. A report by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) found that a ‘disaster’ had hit independent venues and UK nightlife – on average 10 nightclubs were closing down every week in 2024.
Just last week a survey showed the overwhelming support from the UK population to save live music venues. Check out the full coverage of the report here at mxdwn, with the most promising result being that a staggering 93% strongly agree with bringing in the £1 ticket levy.
Despite the current Government claiming that they will act, it has now been almost a year since a parliamentary committee called for action to be taken, but still venues are shutting their doors.
In a statement announcing ‘A Summer To Save Music’, Corbyn said: “For the past two years, our Music For The Many campaign has been calling for a modest ticket levy on large music venues and their corporate sponsorship as the fairest way to fund grassroots music in our communities.
“Almost a year ago, the parliamentary DCMS committee vindicated this approach with a recommendation in its report on British live music, which was subsequently acknowledged by the government as a viable option.”
The Independent MP continued: “But a year on, we continue to lose grassroots music venues at a truly alarming rate. It is the government’s chronic failure to act that has pushed many more beloved community creative spaces to the brink of permanent close.
“Our message to the Government is clear: we’ve only got a Summer to save music. Act now, introduce a ticket levy on the corporate superpowers in the music industry and save our grassroots music venues.”
The UK Government have been keen to assure independent venues that they will protect them, however they have warned that it could be some time before a ticket levy is fully implemented.
Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP told NME earlier this year: “If there isn’t a voluntary levy in short order, then we will take action. That would mean a statutory levy which would take time, so I’d much prefer a voluntary levy. I’m quite hopeful that we’ll have something in place soon, and I’m working quite hard on it.”
‘A Summer To Save Music’ performances will take place at independent venues such as Manchester’s Night & Day Cafe and London’s Piehouse – as well as shows in Bristol, Birkenhead, Brighton and Norwich.
Artists taking part include Kid Bookie, The Menstrual Cramps, ARXX, Hongza and Shelf Lives. Check out all details for each show down below and find tickets from 10:00am on Tuesday 29 April here.
