The Peace and Justice Project and Jeremy Corbyn have just launched their new Music For The Many petition to demand the government acts now to save British grassroots venues. You can sign it here.
Music for the Many: saving Britain’s grassroots music venues
The petition calls on the government to urgently implement the recommendations of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport parliamentary committee and introduce a small levy on ticket sales at large corporate-backed arena and stadium shows in order to create a fund to support independently-run music venues and community creative spaces.
These are demands championed by the Peace and Justice Project’s campaign.
The Peace and Justice Project, founded by Jeremy Corbyn in 2021, launched the Music For The Many campaign in April 2023 to protect grassroots music venues and demand the government creates a support fund to protect the futures of at-risk venues.
In 2022, 22 million people saw live music at grassroots music venues and brought £500m into the UK economy. However, operating costs ran at over £499m, leaving a profit margin of only 0.2%.
The latest annual report from Music Venue Trust suggests that 16% of the UK’s grassroots venues were lost in the past year, with 125 spaces permanently closing in 2023.
This is unsustainable and has put thousands of jobs under serious threat. So, the Peace and Justice Project and Corbyn are determined to change things.
The group will be handing in the petition during Independent Venue Week at the end of January. So, it needs your help to send a powerful message to the government and keep the struggle of grassroots venues on the government’s agenda.
Meanwhile, tickets for the Peace and Justice Project’s event to mark Independent Venue Week on Sunday 2 February are on sale now. You can purchase them here.
Corbyn at the 100 Club
Join the Menstrual Cramps, Jeremy Corbyn, and special guests for an evening of music, solidarity and demands for the government to take action to protect vital grassroots music venues and independent spaces, hosted at the 100 Club, London’s oldest music venue.
With more grassroots venues than ever permanently shutting their doors, we must raise our voices for a small ticket levy on corporate sponsors of large music arenas and stadiums to support the long-term and sustainable future of independently-run creative spaces.
Featured image supplied
