The CMS Committee has welcomed Government backing for a levy on
arena and stadium concert tickets to support the struggling
grassroots music sector but has called for Ministers to set a
clear deadline for the industry to act.
The recommendation for a voluntary levy, to be administered by a
trust led by a sector umbrella body, was made in a report by the previous
Committee in the last Parliament as a way of supporting a
grassroots music sector that last year experienced the closure of
venues at a rate of two a week.
While welcoming the Government's recognition of the need for a
levy, the Committee today calls for clarity on how long the
industry has to take action before the Government itself steps
in. In a letter to the Secretary of State on the Government's
response, the Committee says if no significant progress is made,
it will hold a hearing with the sector in six months' time.
The letter also expresses concern that long-term reforms set out
by the Government, such as permanently lower business rates for
venues from 2026, will not address the short-term rate of
closures and cost of touring. The Government should also look
again at its rejection of the recommendation for a fan-led review
of music, the Committee says.
Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame MP, said:
“The sheer number of venues in our local communities being forced
to shut up shop each week has hammered home the stark reality of
the struggles facing artists, promoters and others working in
grassroots music. There are warnings of an even gloomier future.
While the Government has dialled up the volume on the message
that swift action on a levy is needed from the bigger players who
pack out arenas and stadiums, the lack of a firm deadline for
movement risks allowing matters to drift.
Without healthy roots, the entire live music ecosystem suffers,
so it is vital that the wider industry recognises the urgency of
coming up with a scheme to direct a proportion of profits back to
where many careers began.
The Committee will keep banging the drum to make sure both the
industry and Government plays it part in protecting our live
performance ecosystem.”
