Music Venue Trust

Music Venue Trust is a UK-registered charity founded in January 2014 to protect, secure, and improve grassroots music venues across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland amid closures driven by noise complaints, redevelopment, and funding gaps. Its core mission ensures the long-term sustainability of these vital cultural spaces—essential for nurturing local talent, artist development, and community enrichment—through direct support, policy advocacy, and acquiring freeholds via its charitable arm, Music Venue Properties, the "National Trust for music venues." Values emphasize community benefit, cultural preservation, and the economic importance of grassroots venues, blending practical aid with systemic change.

The Trust exclusively funds grassroots music venues (typically independent, capacity up to 500, annual income under £1M), supporting small-scale capital improvements (e.g., lighting, sound), staff training, succession planning, skills development, emergency hardship, and community-strengthening projects. Key programmes include the UK-wide Pipeline Investment Fund for capital and training grants, collective campaigns like Own Our Venues (£2.3M raised), and local partnerships such as Manchester’s Grassroots Music Venue Fund for business rates relief.

Eligible applicants are UK-based grassroots venues demonstrating live music focus (proof required, e.g., GMV status, programming evidence); no religious restrictions, accepts unsolicited applications via online forms. Typical grants range £1,000–£20,000 (Pipeline: £3,000–£5,000 max), excluding unrestricted core costs. Pipeline is rolling (decisions in 4–8 weeks); Manchester fund opens 28 October–28 November 2025. What distinguishes MVT is its holistic strategy—direct grants (£4M+ in two years), property ownership, and advocacy—making it uniquely vital for excluded small venues building resilience.