The Royal Albert Hall (cap. 5,272) has become the first arena to commit to the LIVE Trust’s £1 contribution to support grassroots music across the UK.

The Trust was launched in January by LIVE to support grassroots festivals, venues, promoters and artists via a stadium and arena show levy of £1 per ticket on all shows with a capacity of more than 5,000.

Of the 23.1 million arena and stadium tickets on sale for 2025 only 1.8m (7.8%) have contained the grassroots levy, according to Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd.

All commercial rock and pop concerts at the Hall going on sale after 1 October  will carry a £1 contribution per ticket, raising an estimated £300,000 per annum for the LIVE Trust.

Data from LIVE members shows that there were 125 grassroots venue closures in 2023, 78 festival cancellations in 2024, and a 50% decline in tour dates over the last three decades.

The recent Music Fans’ Voice survey showed 93% of fans agreed £1 from every arena and stadium ticket should go to a fund that directly supports the grassroots.

“Headlining the Royal Albert Hall is a career pinnacle for many artists, but our venue is reliant on a vibrant music ecosystem across the UK,” said Royal Albert Hall CEO and founding trustee of the LIVE Trust James Ainscough OBE. “The grassroots is essential for the development and discovery of new artists, honing live performance skills, building communities, and fostering innovation and fresh talent both on and off the stage. 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 £1 grassroots contribution – an idea first proposed by the Music Venue Trust, first done by Enter Shikari, and now being picked up by artists and promoters across the UK.”

Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant said, “Grassroots music venues are the backbone of our world-leading music industry and one of the UK’s most valuable yet undervalued cultural assets.

“That is why I urge the whole industry, venues, promoters and artists to support the ticket levy.

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