LIVE, which represents 15 live music industry organisations, has identified six focus areas to deliver economic and cultural growth across the country.
Delivering robust regulation of the secondary ticketing market is one of the pillars of the strategic vision as LIVE aims to continue working with the government to counter touts and secondary platforms.
Improved relations with the government will also help the organisation achieve another goal of strengthening the live music sector and wider economy.
It seeks to capitalise on a new industrial strategy being launched this spring to put live music at the forefront of economic policy. Aims for this include pushing forward on reforms to VAT, tax and business rates, export support, planning reform, and sustainability investment – with this latter point being identified as a key pillar.
“Live is committed to helping build a sustainable live music sector by accelerating the sector’s transition to net zero through increased funding and technical support, and to continuing to shape a unified vision for climate action in the UK’s live music sector,” read a LIVE statement.
Furthermore, LIVE seeks to help the government in negotiations to benefit EU touring post-Brexit.
The body also wants to work with lawmakers to continue to improve and strengthen Martyn’s Law prior to it going live in 2027.
The implantation and establishment of the LIVE Trust earlier this month completes the six-point plan. The trust was created to oversee the voluntary levy, which has been created to support grassroots venues and festivals.
“We remain a trusted partner of Government and are pleased that there is a clear understanding of the challenges facing the live music industry, alongside the economic potential we have to drive the Industrial Strategy and generate growth,” said LIVE chief executive Jon Collins.
“Our sector generated over £6bn for the UK economy in 2023 and we are encouraged to be working with a government that is taking the creative industries seriously.
“However, there remains a lot more that can be done to relieve the pressure on our sector and as such we will continue to act as a critical friend that will hold those in power to account while seeking to galvanise policies that align with the Government’s desire to kickstart economic growth, break down barriers to opportunity, ensure a safer Britain, and make the UK a clean energy superpower.”