Join LIVE's Main Members' Meeting - Thursday 19 March, Online (10am - 11:30am)

LIVE members are invited to join our next LIVE Main Meeting on Thursday, 19 March, 10:00–11:30am. As always, it promises to be a packed session with updates from across LIVE and the LIVE Trust, along with insights from industry leaders on the issues shaping the live music sector.

The agenda includes:

• Policy & Industry Updates: The latest work regarding Government policies, as well as the progress in UK-EU collaboration on keeping touring high on the agenda.

• Business Rates Win: A conversation with Steve Sayer (VP & GM at the O2) on how the latest business rates win occurred and what it means to venues from now on. 

• LIVE Trust funding – Phase 1: An update on the first tranche of funding from the LIVE Trust and what comes next, with Antonia Lines (Senior Programme Manager), alongside trustees Kirsty McShannon and James Ainscough.

• The Insurance Landscape 101: And an update from LIVE's official insurance partner, Tysers Live, regarding the current insurance landscape and trends they are seeing in the live music space.

We look forward to seeing you there, all are invited and can join via the Zoom link here, or email claire@livemusic.biz for a calendar invitation.

LIVE Talks: Imposter Feelings in Live Music, in partnership with the Musicians’ Union

Date: Wednesday, 25th March, 2026
Time: 12pm - 1pm, UK
Location: Online, Zoom
Sign up to attend for FREE here.

Panellists:

Simeon Walker - Artist

Steph Van Spronsen - Artist Manager & Founder, Baroness Music

Zac Fox - CEO, Kilimanjaro Live

Natasha Gregory - Agent & Co-Founder, Mother Artists

Session Details: Working in live music often means visibility, pressure and stepping into rooms that can feel intimidating - whether you're on stage or working across the live sector.

From early career moments to established artists and industry leaders, these feelings can show up in surprising ways.

Chaired by executive coach Sarah Page, this LIVE Talk brings together artists and industry professionals to share moments when they've felt out of their depth, how self doubt shows up in their work, and how they navigate it.

Please feel free to submit any anonymous questions for Sarah Page and the panellists here

We're Hiring: Come and work for LIVE and the LIVE Trust, we want to hear from you!

Join our welcoming and passionate teams in this full-time Administrator role providing administrative support across LIVE & the LIVE Trust. You will be right at the centre of both organisations, attending all meetings, communicating with stakeholders and much more! 

If you are an organised, proactive and an enthusiastic individual, we want to hear from you.

Details below:

£26,200 per annum  | UK-based | Full-time (37.5 hours a week) - hybrid/flexible.

Full job spec is listed here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4381969441/ 

All applications should include a CV and cover letter, please email them to info@livemusic.biz by Friday 20th March.
Email should be titled “Administrator role – YOUR NAME.”

LIVE Trust Update: Phase One Funding Starts Delivering for Grassroots Music

It’s been a hugely exciting week for the LIVE Trust, as we begin to see activity on the ground from some of the organisations supported through Phase One funding.

Phase One focused on securing an initial £500,000 in contributions from 2025, with the aim of distributing funds as quickly as possible to grassroots organisations working directly with promoters, artists, venues and festivals. It’s incredibly encouraging to already see the positive impact starting to take shape across the live music ecosystem.

UK Artist Touring Fund opens for applications

One major milestone this week was the launch of the UK Artist Touring Fund, which opened for applications on Wednesday. The fund was established by the Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum and the Musicians’ Union in response to the ongoing cost-of-touring crisis facing grassroots live music.

The UKAT Fund provides strategic “top-up” support to address genuine shortfalls in touring budgets. The aim is to reduce financial risk, support career development, ensure everyone in the live supply chain is paid fairly, and ultimately keep more shows on the road while helping artists build new audiences.

‘Stay The Night’ – supporting artists on tour

Speaking of touring, we spent Wednesday in Norwich at Voodoo Daddy's Showroom with the Music Venue Trust and Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) to see the first Stay The Night venue project in action.

This fantastic initiative is creating artist accommodation at grassroots venues while also providing young people with hands-on construction and DIY training. The result? Bands have a place to stay while on tour, and participants gain valuable skills and experience. The paint is barely dry at the Norwich site, and bookings are already coming in.

Supporting small and micro festivals

Elsewhere, the Association of Independent Festivals’ Micro and Small Festival Development Programme is now underway, with applications closing Monday 16 March.

The programme is designed to support festivals under 2,000 capacity across the UK, offering podcast resources, 1-to-1 mentoring, networking opportunities and more. With hundreds of small and micro festivals operating across the country, this programme plays a vital role in helping organisers build resilience and long-term sustainability.

And finally, a visit to the Royal Albert Hall

The week also included a visit to the iconic Royal Albert Hall, where the team were pleased to welcome Minister Ian Murray. We had the chance to meet with the venue team and experience a sold-out contributing show at the same time, Alex James’ Britpop Classical, a great example of the kind of events that help generate support for the LIVE Trust and the wider live music sector.

We’ll have more updates to share in the next newsletter. In the meantime, you can find out more about all the programmes supported through Phase One on the LIVE Trust website.

LIVE joins Cultural Exchange Coalition event in Brussels

LIVE is proud to be a part of the Cultural Exchange Coalition, a new alliance of more than 150 organisations from across the cultural and creative sectors working to improve UK–EU cultural exchange.

The coalition has been formed to address the barriers that artists and cultural professionals now face when touring and collaborating across borders, and to push for practical solutions ahead of the upcoming review of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

LIVE will be attending the Cultural Exchange Coalition’s event in Brussels at the end of March, where sector leaders and policymakers will come together to discuss how to restore easier mobility for artists, crew and equipment between the UK and EU.

For more information on the CEC, click here.

Have your say on London’s Strategic Licensing Consultation

LIVE is encouraging members to respond to the London Strategic Licensing Consultation, which is now open and runs until 27 March 2026. The consultation seeks views from businesses, venues and industry stakeholders to help shape a new London-wide strategic licensing policy for the capital. 

The consultation will also inform a planned strategic licensing pilot starting in summer 2026, which could give the Mayor a greater role in licensing policy and in reviewing strategically important licensing decisions across the city. 

This is an important opportunity for the live music sector to share its experiences of the licensing system and highlight how licensing policies affect venues, promoters and events. LIVE encourages members to submit their views and ensure the needs of live music are represented.

You can take part in the consultation here:
Respond to the consultation