Just a small snapshot of a very interesting point made by Finlay Johnson (CEO Association for Electronic Music) as part of a much bigger conversation about Nightlife in Scotland.

This Trustees’ Week, we’re celebrating the incredible people who help steer Music Venue Trust: www.musicvenuetrust.com/team/#trustees

With more venues now entering community ownership - thanks to over 2,000 Music Venue Properties investors - we talk this week with Chris Sherrington about the incredible Save Our Venues campaign and how you can become a part owner in iconic grassroots spaces.

Live music is nothing without the fans and the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee have decided it’s finally time to put them in the centre of decision making, with a fan led review of Live and Electronic Music.

As part of Unconvention, MVT will be hosting our last in-person workshop of the year on Thurs 20 Nov at The Rose and Monkey Hotel. 🔗 RSVP via https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Manchester/The-Rose-And-Monkey-Hotel/MVT-Workshop-Values--Why-You-Should-Be-Talking-About-Them/41465217/ 📸 by Greta Baltic

We’re joining forces with Marshall to amplify the heart of live music. Together, we’re launching Marshall Nights - a nationwide series of gigs celebrating grassroots venues, local artists, and the communities that keep live music alive.

Most venue closures don’t happen because no one turns up. They happen because someone bought the building next door, submitted a planning application, and didn’t want to hear people milling around after 10pm.

In the new episode of The Last Safe Space: Toni speaks with Lloyd and Jay about the latest trends, challenges, and breakthroughs shaping grassroots venues across England; from rising costs to local government support and policy innovation. 📺 Watch in full on our YouTube at: youtu.be/X3r5CZZaJv4

Live music is nothing without the fans and the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee have decided it’s finally time to put them in the centre of decision making, with a fan led review of Live and Electronic Music.

Applications are now open for Manchester’s £245,000 Grassroots Music Venue Fund... and we’re working to get the money into venues’ hands as quickly as possible. ➤ Applications (and more info) now open via bit.ly/ManchesterFund ➤ Deadline: Friday 28th November ➤ Payments issued by end of January

Emerging acts playing first-on and support slots get their early live crowd experience, develop stage craft and connection. They often help create the local buzz that enables promoters to sell national tours. They’re part of the pipeline from grassroots venues to arenas.

In this episode of The Last Safe Space podcast, MVT's Toni and Sophie unpack the government’s new consultation on licensing reform and what it means for grassroots music venues in no nonsense terms. 📺 Watch exclusively first on YouTube now at youtu.be/Y0UoQUgUksk + hit subscribe.

THANK YOU to everyone who came to the first-ever cross-industry Grassroots Networking Day with Association of Independent Festivals and Association of Independent Promoters. 📸 by Georgia Penny

Every movement started in a small room somewhere. Sometimes underfunded and misunderstood. But that’s how roots grow. That’s how scenes start. That’s how heroes are formed. That's what keeps every single one of us at MVT, and all our members, motivated in protecting.

Thanks to everyone who joined us, AIF, and AIP for the first combined Grassroots Networking Day. When venue operators, festival organisers, agents, and promoters share insight without ego or agenda... everyone gains. Because we’re all part of the same ecosystem. 📸 Georgia Penny

AGMP Concerts and MVT / Liveline Presents: OMAR – 'BRIGHTER THE DAYS’ UK TOUR, celebrating Omar Lye-Fook MBE's 40 years in music. 🎟️ Tickets on sale now at: agmp.co.uk

We're delighted to be bring our Ethical Venues Workshop to Porters in Cardiff, as part of the fantastic Sŵn programme. Come and find us there! 🎟️ Tickets and more info: https://bit.ly/47mo5Kb

The Ferret in Preston has revealed plans to expand into the rest of its historic mill building, creating a new 350-capacity space, recording studios, classrooms and podcast suites.

This autumn, our friends at WaterBear are hitting the road with their Keeping Music Live tour - raising funds for MVT and celebrating the venues that make it all possible. Because no artist starts at a stadium. It starts here - in these rooms, on these nights, where everything begins.

If you're a member of our Music Venue Alliance, AIF, or AIP - then please look into joining us one week from today in London. We're bringing together venues, agents, promoters, and festivals like never before.

👀 If you've not taken yourself over to watch the straight-talking Last Safe Space on YouTube yet, please head to youtu.be/jfjjy_-ghbg now for the brand new episode, hit subscribe, and get each episode ahead of streaming platforms. Put the coffee on, and we'll see you over there.

Top marks to Sheffield, where grassroots venues are standing together. This right here is what community looks like. The new Sheffield Independent Venues Alliance (SIVA) is a brilliant move - putting collaboration at the heart of the city’s music scene.

Catch the latest episode of our new MVT podcast, The Last Safe Space, at: youtu.be/GyaReplN9Yg

While the big outdoor stages go quiet until next summer, the grassroots circuit doesn’t stop. Night after night, in hundreds of venues across the UK, the next wave of festival headliners are already making themselves known.

Live music is an ecosystem where festivals, venues and shows are intertwined. Two weeks until the grassroots are coming together like never before.

Want the full story? Sign up at bit.ly/newsletterMVT and tomorrow you’ll get our subscriber-only interview with Pauline from The George Tavern, alongside news from more of the grassroots music frontlines.

CHROMA are back with new music. The Pontypridd trio have dropped "River House" at www.chroma.band/links - their first tune since their Welsh Music Prize–shortlisted debut album 'Ask For Angela.'

Discussing where big shows and small shows can work together, hot off Sam Fender and Coldplay's huge run of concerts that put money into the grassroots - tune into the next episode of The Last Safe Space at youtu.be/GyaReplN9Yg.

Coldplay are helping set a new standard in supporting music. 10% of the proceeds from their UK stadium shows are going straight into the Liveline Fund - a direct investment back into the grassroots circuit where every band begins.

The George Tavern is one of London’s most stubborn, beautiful grassroots spaces. For 21 years, owner Pauline Forster has fought off developers, licensing battles, and the odds - because she believes this venue should live.

That’s a huge number, and thanks to all the artists, their teams, and everyone behind the scenes pushing the initiative to happen. That’s 27.6% of big gig tickets on sale for next year, meaning there’s still 2.9million tickets not yet contributing to the levy in 2026 though.

Tomorrow (Saturday), come and join the month long festivities at The George Tavern. MVT CEO, Mark Davyd, is in conversation with Pauline, Georgia, and Scarlett Woolfe. 🎟️  Entry is free via: link.dice.fm/Z973e622e282...

FROM THE GRASSROOTS UP. Our new podcast series, The Last Safe Space, has just dropped its latest episode at youtu.be/-Pf188mAJvk. This is unprecedented, deep dive access to behind the scenes of MVT - what we're focused on, what the live music sector is doing, and how we're all working together.

These principles have long been the reality across grassroots venues and independent promoters. Now they’re being set out as the standard which the whole live music industry should follow. ⚠️ No Pay-to-Play. ⚠️ No merch cuts. ⚠️ Fairness at the core of every show.

Earlier this year, the Music Fans' Voice survey proved that music fans are not only invested in grassroots, they’re ready to speak up for it. Thousands of you filled it out, and the results were undeniable.

A massive thank you to everyone who joined us at the International Festival Forum last week - and especially to all the incredible live bands who tore it up at Omeara.

We want to say a huge thank you to The Last Dinner Party for donating £1 from every ticket sold to Music Venue Trust.

This is our new in-house space to dig deeper into what’s happening across grassroots music venues - straight from the frontlines. 📺 Watch first on YouTube at youtu.be/IkdH4tbQ9G0 before it lands on streaming platforms. Tune in, share, and be part of the conversation keeping live music alive.

Tonight we’re at the International Festival Forum, bringing our work to more of the teams helping shape the live music industry. 📸 by Jeanie Jean

Don't forget to join us at OMEARA tomorrow. We're there from 20:00 - 22:30 alongside the International Festival Forum (IFF), coming together to champion the future of live music. We've got an incredible handpicked lineup, and there's sure to be a few drinks... so come and find us to say hello!

50 years is no small thing. In fact, for a grassroots venue, it’s downright monumental. This month, our friends at The Met in Bury celebrate half a century of being at the heart of their community. That's five decades of live music, poetry, art, and countless stories within their walls.

Last year, MVT's Support Team stepped in to handle over 200 cases - from noise complaints and landlord challenges, to legal issues, licensing, and everything else you can think of. It’s one of the most vital things we do for our member venues - keeping them open, protected, and SUPPORTED.

🎧 MVT's new podcast: "The Last Safe Space" is now live across the usual streaming platforms you get your podcasts. We'll be talking about the frontlines of grassroots music venues and the live music sector with a range of special guests.

The Sound Lounge have been measured, constructive and inclusive in the way they have responded to recent events and this is their reward for that approach. Smashed windows, a closed business, frightened staff.

🚨 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁 🚨 Music Venue Trust is proud to launch 'The Last Safe Space'. A no-nonsense, data-driven podcast bringing you the latest news from the grassroots music ecosystem. Episode 1: Licensing Breakthrough is OUT NOW! 📺 Watch + subscribe first on YouTube: bit.ly/MVTpodcast.

Download their application form at www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-a..., email it over to them, and you’re into the process. No portals, no mazes.

Sam Fender’s arena tour has just helped save and improve 38 grassroots music venues across the UK. That's thanks to £100,000 from ticket sales, distributed through the Liveline Fund, protecting spaces at risk of closure and giving vital upgrades to others. A HUGE thank you to Sam and his team!

Behind every gig you go to, there’s a venue operator trying to keep the doors open. And when things get tough - whether it’s a landlord dispute, a planning battle, spiralling bills, or any one of the other 200 cases we've seen over the last year - they don’t have to face it alone.

The Lab need your help! This is a brilliant community music and arts venue in Northampton. They've launched a Crowdfunder to help them continue providing a home for so many diverse and exciting communities in the Northampton area. 👉 Support: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/YlbkOZw...

We're so excited to have ĠENN with us as new patrons of MVT. They’ll be stepping up with us at our @IFF.rocks showcase this September too. You’ll want to be there!