Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP has said introducing legislation to force promoters to pay a £1 levy on arena and stadiums shows remains an option, and that he would like to see Live Nation “step up”.

While the industry has made ‘tangible’ progress toward the roll-out of a £1 levy on tickets to stadium and arena shows in support of grassroots music, Bryant has called for faster progress.

LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which represents 15 live music industry organisations including the Concert Promoters Association and Independent Festivals Association, is managing the distribution of a voluntary levy via the LIVE Trust.

The Trust has received pledges amounting to £500,000 from UK tours of domestic and international artists including Pulp, Diana Ross, Mumford & Sons and Hans Zimmer, which it equates to approximately 8% of eligible shows. While major promoters including AEG Presents have supported the initiative, other global players are yet to back it.

Collins has said that he expects the Trust to reach £1 million by this time next year and multi-millions by Autumn 2026.

In a letter to Culture Media and Sport Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, co-signed by Collins, Bryant said, “Industry has made tangible progress since November, but we recognise there is further to go to deliver widespread levy adoption and distribution of funds through the LIVE Trust. We must not be complacent and welcome the Committee’s continued scrutiny to help drive further and faster progress.”

Having issued a report last year backing the adoption of a levy to support grassroots venues, festivals, promoters and artists, the Committee held a session yesterday, 13 May, that heard from representatives from across the live music ecosystem including Collins, Music Venue Trust’s Mark Davyd, Wolf Alice’s Joff Oddie and National Arenas Association operations manager Nancy Skipper.

During the session Bryant said a mandatory levy remained an option and that he would like to see more than £1m pledged by the end of the year. He said the issue was urgent, and that it is among the areas Government may choose to legislate, along with the secondary ticketing market. He is also reported to have said, “Live Nation might want to step up a bit more. I just want everybody who’s considering a big tour in the UK coming up in the next year or so to sign up, and then I think we’ll have millions of pounds going to smaller grassroots venues.”

Separately, Live Nation issued a statement in which it said the concert giant had long championed new talent, with shows in venues under 1,500-capacity accounting for 70% of its UK and Ireland events over the last 10 years, totalling more than 19,000 performances since 2014.

The LIVE Trust has appointed three trustees; Royal Albert Hall CEO James Ainscough, broadcaster and DJ Steve Lamacq and Azorra CEO Kirsty McShannon. LIVE said a further six trustees will be announced shortly

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