LiveLine is a national, risk-sharing programme that rebuilds grassroots live music by removing the barriers preventing venues, promoters and artists from taking creative risks.

Delivered by Music Venue Trust in partnership with Save Our Scene and the Association of Independent Promoters (AIP), Liveline is designed to fix the broken economics of grassroots touring and local programming, not through traditional grants, but through smarter, incentive-led support.

Venues and Promoters that want to host more live music but are constrained by financial risk, geography or declining touring routes.

This fund is also open to artist representatives (Agents, Managers or Artists) who want to work collaboratively with grassroots venues and independent promoters to reignite the UK touring circuit.

Each show or tour is budgeted in advance.

• If the show makes a loss, up to 80% loss is covered by the programme

• If the show breaks even, no funding is paid.

• If the show makes a profit, the promoter or venue keeps it.

This structure removes the fear of financial ruin without removing the motivation to make the show succeed.

For more information, visit the Guarantorship Scheme page.

Each show or tour is budgeted in advance.

• If the show makes a loss, up to 80% loss is covered by the programme

• If the show breaks even, no funding is paid.

• If the show makes a profit, the promoter or venue keeps it.

This structure removes the fear of financial ruin without removing the motivation to make the show succeed.

Liveline can support promoter development through:

• Covering venue hire costs and local promoter training

• Building regular programming  that is targeted to a specific community

  Supporting monthly or seasonal nights 

• Developing emerging promoters

Goal: Reducing barriers to entry for independent promoters.

For more information, visit the local scene development page.

This fund supports the additional costs that stop tours reaching certain parts of the UK, such as long travel distances, fuel, accommodation and ferry crossings. It is designed to reconnect regions like the Highlands and Islands, West Wales and Northern Ireland to the national touring circuit.

For more information, please visit the Tour Extension & Regional Access Fund.

This fund supports genres, scenes and communities that carry extra costs or face additional barriers to putting on a night.

That can mean the added safety and protection measures a show needs, extra barriers from the local council, additional security requirements or the practical work of bringing a genre into a venue that doesn't usually programme it and building a new audience around it.

Venues, promoters, and artists or collectives can apply. Tell us your idea, who it's for and how it benefits your local scene. Every application is assessed case by case and on the clear requirements specified which may also be subject to venue approval, where relevant.

For more information, please visit the Genre Specific Safety & Access Fund page.

Liveline is open to venues, promoters and artist representatives (agents, managers and artists) working to get reignite the touring circuit across the UK.

Who applies depends on the fund:

• Guarantorship Scheme: promoters, venues and in-house bookers, and the agents, managers and artists behind a show. Shows must take place in Music Venue Alliance member venues; for a full tour, at least 70% of dates must be at subscribed MVT venues.

• Local Scene Development Fund: promoters and venues looking to grow a scene or build regular programming in an area.

• Tour Extension & Regional Access Fund: promoters, agents, management and artists planning a tour that could reach further with support on travel.

• Genre Specific & Access Fund: venues, promoters, and artists or collectives.

Across every fund, applications are assessed case by case on a real budget, not on a first-come-first-served basis. Liveline funds a headline artist once.

Liveline funding is restricted to Music Venue Alliance subscribed member venues because membership ensures venues are verified as genuine grassroots music venues which are accountable to the sector standards that underpin how the fund is governed. Where cost is a barrier, MVT offers bursaries to cover membership, so if a venue genuinely operates as a GMV, there's no reason it can't join the MVA and access the fund. 

Liveline round one applications are now open! Eligible applicants can apply through each fund page on this website.

To find out which fund might suit you best, please use the ‘Find Your Fund’ process to get further guidance.

Neither. Liveline does not pay blanket fees or subsidise venues to open their doors. It is a risk-sharing programme designed to make properly budgeted shows viable while keeping the incentive to sell tickets and build audiences.

Liveline prioritises new and emerging artists in all markets and supports more established artists being routed into secondary and tertiary markets where touring has become financially difficult. The focus is on rebuilding sustainable touring pathways, not one-off headline events.

Budgets are created like any other show. Shows must take place in Music Venue Trust member venues. Promoters must be either members of the Association of Independent Promoters or venues acting as in-house bookers. All costs are assessed and approved in advance. Promoter fee to be included within the budget.

Yes. The programme recognises that electronic music is often scene-led rather than tour-led. Liveline supports regular branded nights, promoter–venue partnerships and the integration of touring DJs into established local events.

No. Liveline is designed to rebuild confidence, touring routes and regular programming over time. The goal is to restore functioning local live music economies, not to create permanent dependency on funding.

Applications open on Tuesday, 21st July, for venues, artists, and promoters seeking funding from the Liveline Fund. Those involved in distributing the fund will come together to decide on a fair, unilateral application process and criteria to ensure funding is directed to projects that support the development and growth of the venues, artists, and promoters.

LIVE Trust is a new registered charity which was created to collect funds raised by a voluntary £1 contribution from arena and stadium tickets. As such MVT, SOS & AIP recommend that the Trust be the first point of call for those in touring seeking to support the grassroots.  The Trust plans to work with established funding distributors to get money into the hands of grassroots venues, artists and promoters.

For more information, please visit livetrust.org.