Pictured left to right: Ginny Graham (Arts Council England), Carly Heath (Night Time Economy Adviser for Bristol), Tom Kiehl (UK Music), Ruth Ballantyne (Musicians’ Union). Image credit: the MU.
The MU has been part of an 18-month journey representing the voices of members on a working group to support Bristol’s music scene.
Made possible with funding from Arts Council England and Bristol City Council, the working group consisted of Bristol Nights, the MU, PRD and Bristol’s music industry. It undertook nearly two years of research to understand the challenges faced by venues, promoters, artists and audiences, and establish the possible solutions that could help the sector thrive.
The A Ticket to the Future report has been published that sets out the feasibility of establishing the first Bristol Music Fund and how such an approach can benefit the sector.
One of the key proposals is the establishment of a 1% ticket fee on music events
The report proposes the establishment of a 1% ticket fee on music events, paid for by the customer and charged at the point of sale. This would generate the resources required to invest back into the local sector, supporting talent both on and off the stage.
Carly Heath, Night Time Economy Advisor at Bristol City Council, said “The music industry is big business for us and a vital positive contributor to the city’s prosperity with many millions of pounds generated annually for the local economy. Yet the distribution of this wealth is uneven.
“78% of events are in venues of under 1000 capacity, however they only generate 32% of the ticket revenue. Small events are the fertile ground from which so much local talent develops. It’s crucial we find a way to support the whole ecosystem, so our music scene can continue to flourish and create joyful moments for music fans in the city.”
Grassroots venues are vital to England’s cultural ecology
Based on a local audience survey in June 2024, over 78% of respondents attend a music event once a month or more, and 37% spend between £21 and £50 per month on event tickets.
The large majority of respondents were happy to pay a small percentage of their ticket price towards the Bristol Music Fund, and 96% of people surveyed said an extra 1% ticket fee would have "no effect" or make them "more likely to buy a ticket" if they knew it was being reinvested in local music.
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England, said: “Grassroots venues are vital to England’s cultural ecology and there’s no doubt Bristol, a city steeped in musical history, has all the potential to rival the world’s top live music destinations.
“We are proud to have supported Bristol Nights to explore an equitable and inclusive infrastructure for the grassroots scene, that could safeguard the futures of the talented artists and promoters who make Bristol so vibrant.”
UK Music Chief Tom Kiehl delivered an address at Bristol Beacon
Tom Kiehl, UK Music Chief Executive, spoke to representatives from across Bristol’s music industry at the launch of the report in early November 2024.
"Artists and bands coming from Bristol – Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, Roni Size, Idles – have continually pushed boundaries and contributed greatly to the global identity of the UK music industry.
"However, Bristol’s success is not just about the artists that you have nurtured and developed. It is also about the many brilliant venues and festivals which give Bristol the vibrancy it is well known for, from Bristol Beacon, Lakota, the Fleece, the Louisiana and Thekla to mention a few."
He described the outcome of the feasibility study as “very complementary to much of the discussions that are taking place across the music industry”, and suggested that the best next step was for the local sector to “find alignment, agreement and a way forward” on the big challenges it faces.
Read his full speech on the UK Music website.
An opportunity to redress the balance for venues, events and music creators
The proposals also suggest creating a new Community Benefit Society, which would be owned by its members, who would get a say in how best to support Bristol Music into the future.
“Establishing the Bristol Music Fund is an opportunity to invest in the talent found right across our music sector, and redress the balance for those venues, events and music creators who innovate and incubate new sounds,” Carly Health added.
The next steps for the emerging fund are to establish the governance systems needed before beginning revenue raising activity and initial scoping of investments.
Read the Proposal Overview and Full Feasibility Study