Music Venue Trust (MVT), the charity organisation for grassroots venues and music, has announced that applications are now open for its latest round of Liveline funding.
The fund is open to programmers, artists representatives, managers, promoters and artists to support shows, tour dates, venue programmes or long-term activity that can strengthen local live music.
Applications are split across four funding streams, which MVT says “has been designed to remove a specific barrier preventing grassroots live music from thriving.”
The Guarantorship Scheme underwrites up to 80% of approved losses on eligible shows, while a Tour Extension & Regional Access Fund is aimed to help artists and promoters tour into underserved local communities.
A Local Scene Development Fund aims to local music ecosystems through “through covering venue hire costs and promoter training.” The Genre Specific Safety and Access Fund will also support communities facing additional barriers to putting on a gig or club night.
Together, these four funding streams are designed to address the structural challenges that have made grassroots touring increasingly difficult across the UK. Rising costs, shrinking touring circuits and increasing financial uncertainty have made it harder for promoters and venues to programme new artists, particularly in secondary and tertiary markets where the economics of live music have become increasingly challenging.
Liveline is delivered by Music Venue Trust (MVT) in partnership with Save our Scene (SOS) and the Association of Independent Promoters (AIP). Funding for the initiative comes from Coldplay, who gave 10% of the proceeds from its 2025 UK stadium tour to support grassroots music venues and artists, and the LIVE Trust.
Rather than simply providing grants, Liveline aims to remove the barrier preventing live music from happening. Each application is assessed individually on a case-by-case basis rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Toni Coe-Booker, MVT campaigns and comms manager, recently sat down with Festival Insights to discuss the Everywhere All at Once Festival, a collaborative festival across the UK in partnership with the National Lottery. Speaking of the importance of grassroots venues, Toni said “it’s pretty special when you have a grassroots music venue. It really changes the way young people develop and how they connect with culture and politics and other human beings.“
George Fleming, CEO of Save Our Scene, said: “Today marks a landmark moment for UK music. Liveline applications are now open!
If you are a venue, a promoter or an artist who has been struggling to make it work, this fund was built for you. For too long, we have watched the pipeline that produces world class talent shrink and Liveline is our answer to that.
We are so proud to be working alongside a small but amazing team of people bringing that answer to life”.
Applications are now open here.
The post Music Venue Trust opens Liveline fund applications appeared first on Festival Insights.
