UK Artist Touring Fund to finance 49 more acts with support from arena and stadium levy

The UK Artist Touring Fund (UKAT) has announced its second round of financial awards, allocating up to £8,000 each to 49 UK-based artists. This distribution is part of a £300,000 funding pool generated through the LIVE Trust’s voluntary ticket levy on arena and stadium concerts. The initiative aims to alleviate the mounting financial pressures artists face when touring, particularly in smaller and mid-sized venues where costs often outweigh ticket revenues.

Since its inception earlier this year, UKAT has focused on mitigating the challenges associated with the rising fixed expenses of live performances. The fund’s latest allocation supports nearly 400 shows scheduled between September 2026 and April 2027, enabling tours that were previously tentative to proceed, while addressing accessibility and childcare needs for performers and their teams.

The roster of recipients includes a diverse range of musicians, from emerging talents to established names, across various genres. Notable beneficiaries are A Certain Ratio, Amelia Coburn, Katie Gregson-Macleod, Lauren Auder, and Venus Grrrls, among others. The geographical spread is broad, with 80% of funded artists based outside London, reflecting an explicit commitment to promoting regional music scenes across the UK’s four nations.

A significant proportion of the supported tours, around 80%, will reach areas that have historically been underserved in live music circuits or where the artists have not previously performed. Approximately 20% of the tours comprise a mix of headline performances, support slots, and festival appearances, while one in five funded tours included dates initially pencilled in but not confirmed until after funding approval.

Despite the positive impact, UKAT was only able to support less than one-fifth of the applications it received, highlighting a shortfall exceeding £2 million in unmet demand. This underscores the ongoing financial strain within the live music sector and the need for continued and expanded support mechanisms.

The fund’s influence extends notably to the North East, Tees Valley, and West Yorkshire regions, where nine artists have been co-funded through a collaboration with the Northern Music Export Office (NMEO) and the development organisation Generator. This partnership has notably increased both the level of investment and the number of Northern artists accessing touring support, enhancing their opportunities to build sustainable careers and reach wider audiences.

Industry stakeholders emphasize the importance of the voluntary £1 ticket levy imposed at large venues, crediting it with providing a vital revenue stream to sustain grassroots live music. The LIVE Trust, responsible for administering these donations, sees UKAT as a prime example of how targeted funding can bolster the entire live music ecosystem by ensuring fair compensation for artists, managers, crew, and venues alike.

Government backing is also evident, with Creative Industries officials recognizing the fund's role in strengthening the UK's live music heritage. The initiative is positioned as a model for industry-led investment designed to foster financial resilience among artists and support the growth of vibrant, accessible live music scenes across the country.

Since its launch, UKAT has distributed funding to 75 artists, facilitating over 600 live events nationwide. This ongoing commitment aims to bridge the gap between the escalating costs associated with touring and the revenues generated, thereby safeguarding the livelihood of musicians and the sustainability of live performances in the UK.

Looking ahead, the fund’s organizers encourage broader industry participation in the voluntary ticket levy scheme to expand the pool of resources available for artist touring support. While the recent funding round marks substantial progress, the unmet demand signals a continuing need for collaborative action to maintain and grow the UK’s dynamic live music landscape.