Amid the concerns about the future financial viability of the hosting the National Final at the Royal Albert Hall, the BBC has reported that venues around the country are seeing a drastic reduction in the number of their live music events.
According to new figures from the Music Venue Trust, artists are playing 11 shows on an average tour compared with 22 in 1994, with many mid-sized venues now facing considerable financial challenges to keep open.
Cultural deserts
At a recent Music Conference Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that, "too many parts of the country have become cultural deserts."She added that it has meant that , "the chance to live a larger, richer life, that should belong to us all,"was in her words, being "denied to a generation."
In the article, singer-songwriter Sam Duckworth said: "What it really means is that [fans in] certain parts of the country have now either got to travel long distances or hope to be the one non-major city on a tour.
So not only are we seeing a crisis in economics, we're also seeing a crisis of access. There are vast swathes of the country where your only option is to travel an hour and a half.
But then you factor in that the cost of everything has gone up. The train tickets have gone up. The ticket prices have gone up. The cost of your life has gone up."
He added: "Costs have risen sharply for artists and venues as well as fans".
But then you factor in that the cost of everything has gone up. The train tickets have gone up. The ticket prices have gone up. The cost of your life has gone upartist, Sam Duckworth
Levy
It was reported that the Music Venue Trust is calling for a £1 levy on all arena and stadium concerts to support grassroots venues.
Earlier this year, a House of Commons select committee said that if the music industry could not reach an agreement to introduce such a subsidy the government should make it a legal requirement.
A scheme based on this approach is currently used for ticket sales at The Piece Hall in Halifax. The outdoor venue can hold up to 6,000 people, and helps subsidise five other, smaller venues to the sum of around £6,500 each.
