Live music industry umbrella group LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which has been involved in initiatives including the #LetTheMusicPlay and #KeepVATat5 campaigns, has formally launched.

Declaring itself “the voice of the UK’s live music industry”, LIVE is a federation of more than a dozen live music industry associations including the Association of Independent Festivals, Association of Festival Organisers, Concert Promoters Association, National Arenas Association and Production Services Association. Collectively they represent 3,150 companies in an industry that contributes more than £4.5bn to the UK economy.

The united approach means that LIVE is able to represent the interests of artists, managers, venues, festivals, promoters, agents, production and ticketing operators.

Kilimanjaro Live CEO Stuart Galbraith and Live Nation executive president of international touring Phil Bowdery are among the founders of the organisation.

Galbraith said, “LIVE is focused on securing the long-term support for our industry that we vitally need and protecting the jobs and livelihoods from the double whammy of Covid-19 and Brexit. We are a £4.5 billion world-leading industry, and by bringing together all of the unique voices within it and working collaboratively, we are in a far better position to protect and support our ecosystem.”

The organisation is being led by International Live Music Conference MD Greg Parmley who has taken on the role of LIVE CEO. He said the launch of a “properly” representative body for the UK’s live music industry was long overdue: “LIVE will be that unified voice as the industry comes out of lockdown and beyond.  The unprecedented challenges we face might paint a bleak picture, and this is a critical time, but together we can help protect jobs and the future of live music, as we move toward restoring the UK industry to its world leading best.”

The organisation is currently campaigning for:

  • Three-year extension to the reduced cultural VAT rate on tickets
  • A government-backed insurance scheme to allow events to go ahead when it is safe to do so
  • Targeted financial support for the sector to protect jobs and infrastructure

LIVE is also working closely with UK Music, as well as other bodies across the music and wider entertainment industry.

LIVE members:

  • Association of Independent Festivals (AIF)
  • Association for Electronic Music (AFEM)
  • Association of Festival Organisers (AFO)
  • Association of Independent Promoters (AIP)
  • British Association of Concert Halls (BACH)
  • Concert Promoters Association (CPA)
  • Featured Artists Coalition (FAC)
  • The Entertainment Agents’ Association (TEAA)
  • Music Venue Trust (MVT)
  • Music Managers Forum (MMF)
  • National Arenas Association (NAA)
  • Production Services Association (PSA)
  • Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR)

LIVE Research

  1. LIVE Report on Valuing Live Entertainment
  2. LIVE Report on UK live music: At a cliff edge

Phil Bowdery and Stuart Galbraith will take part in the Event Production Show conference on 26-27 May at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.