Royal Albert Hall Becomes First Major Venue to Back £1 Grassroots Music Levy
The Royal Albert Hall has become the first large-scale UK venue to commit to the £1 ticket levy aimed at supporting grassroots music venues.
In a landmark move, the historic 5,200-capacity venue will introduce a mandatory £1 charge on all tickets sold for commercial rock and pop concerts from 1 October 2025. The proceeds – estimated to reach £300,000 annually -will go directly to the LIVE Trust, a charity set up to safeguard the future of grassroots music across the UK.
This marks the first time an arena of this size has permanently adopted the levy, which is designed to reinvest in struggling smaller venues and support emerging talent in a live music industry facing mounting challenges.
“By embracing the £1 contribution and becoming the first arena where it is ‘always on’, we are adding this charity’s name to the growing momentum around the grassroots contribution,” said James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall and founding trustee of the LIVE Trust.
“I look forward to playing my part in ensuring that every pound raised has the maximum impact, securing a thriving grassroots music sector for generations to come.”
The decision has been welcomed by industry figures and politicians alike.
Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant said he was “delighted” by the Hall’s commitment, calling it a “milestone” for the initiative. Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, also hailed it as “a fantastic boost”.
Jon Collins, Chief Executive of LIVE, praised the Hall’s leadership: “For such an important and iconic venue to make this commitment is a huge indicator of the growing confidence in the LIVE Trust. We hope others will be inspired to follow suit.”
The move comes at a time of crisis for the UK’s live music ecosystem. One grassroots venue reportedly closes every fortnight, and artist touring activity has dropped by as much as 74% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Industry figures have repeatedly warned of a “complete collapse” in live touring across wide regions of the UK.
In response, the government has signalled it is prepared to step in if voluntary measures are not widely adopted.
Sir Chris Bryant MP said: “We want to see a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets come into effect as soon as possible for concerts in 2025. To meet this timeline, we want to see tangible progress across the music industry by the first quarter of 2025.”
He confirmed that he would host a ministerial roundtable to accelerate progress and warned that a formal hearing would take place later this summer if insufficient steps are taken.
Public and artist support for the levy continues to grow. A Music Fans’ Voice survey found that 93% of music fans back a £1-per-ticket donation for grassroots venues. Major artists including Coldplay, Sam Fender, and Katy Perry have publicly supported the initiative, while bands such as Pulp and Mumford & Sons have helped raise £500,000 through similar contributions.
Wolf Alice guitarist Joff Oddie, speaking at a recent parliamentary session, echoed concerns that progress had been too slow, urging faster action to protect future talent.
The LIVE Trust aims to channel funds to venues, artists, festivals, promoters and other parts of the live music ecosystem – many of which have been pushed to breaking point. In 2023 alone, 125 grassroots music venues shut their doors, while a majority of independent artists reported they could not afford to tour.
