“I remember asking a musician in a pub to recommend me a good open mic on my first day in town, and that’s where I met some of the kindest and most talented musicians, I’ve had the chance to work with,” recalls local musician Ismael Díaz Paúl, capturing the welcoming spirit of Liverpool’s grassroots scene.
Three years on, he’s become an integral part of that community, performing across the city, collaborating with producers and promoters, and experiencing both the vibrancy and the vulnerability of the circuit. “It’s really impressive how everyone has a chance to share their vision and projects,” he says.
But behind the passion and collaboration lies a mounting crisis. Liverpool’s beloved grassroots venues are shutting down at an alarming rate. Squeezed by rising costs, post-pandemic uncertainty, and a lack of sustained support. Among the casualties is The Caledonia, a cherished venue and pub that closed its doors earlier this year.
Laura King, its former owner, recalls the financial and emotional toll. “It’s devastating,” she says. “We were more than a pub. We were a hub for musicians, regulars, and people who wanted something a bit different.”
This local story reflects a national crisis. In 2024, over 200 grassroots music venues across the UK. Nearly 25% of the entire sector sought help from the Music Venue Trust (MVT) to avoid permanent closure. The charity, a lifeline for grassroots venues, artists, and promoters, has been actively campaigning for sustainable funding since 2018.
Their efforts include the Pipeline Investment Fund, supporting venue infrastructure and training, an Emergency Hardship Relief Fund to prevent closures, and the Own Our Venues initiative, which secures venue ownership in protected trusts. Since July 2021, MVT has distributed over £572,000 in grants to 134 venues.
Laura points to the wider trend impacting the entire ecosystem. “The cost-of-living crisis affects everything. People can’t spend as much on tickets or drinks, and venues can’t afford to put on shows unless they’re sure they’ll break even.”
That uncertainty isn’t just a problem for venue owners, as it ripples across the entire grassroots music pipeline. Ismael explains how it’s affecting artists like him. “There are fewer places to play, and that limits the number of bands that can get booked,” he says. “We’re still getting re-educated into the gig culture after the pandemic. It’s hard to know when it’s a good time to arrange a show.”
While commercial artists can pack out arenas for one or two nights, small shows struggle to fill modest rooms. “It’s complicated to compete with bigger gigs,” Ismael says. “But the audience needs to understand that local artists need to be fairly paid in order to progress, to afford equipment, rehearsal spaces, studios.”
Grassroots venues contribute far beyond music itself. They contribute to the city’s identity, economy, and cultural life. That’s why organisations like Music Venue Trust (MVT) are fighting to protect what’s left. MVT collects data, offers practical help, and campaigns for policy change to safeguard these vital spaces.
“Music Venue Trust is very much work for the venues,” Laura says. “They survey us a lot, ask us things a lot, and they communicate with us directly. I’ve talked to the boss, who’s signed a letter on my behalf. As a venue owner, that level of support is invaluable.”
Meanwhile, larger institutions in the city continue to receive substantial support. Arts Council England (ACE) has funded twenty-two National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) in Liverpool, as part of its 2023-2026 strategy. This investment has resulted in a total of £9.97 million annually. The ACE funding has supported music, theatre and visual arts within Liverpool, including the Liverpool Philharmonic. But for smaller, independent spaces, access to that level of support remains out of reach.
In addition to this, ACE secured an extra £5 million for grassroots music, offering critical support to the grassroots sector, which serves as a vital talent pipeline for the wider music industry. But despite this, inflation, falling revenues, and squeezed audience incomes continue to put immense pressure on small venues, promoters, and independent artists.
One of the biggest campaigns MVT has supported is a proposed £2 levy on tickets to stadium gigs, with proceeds reinvested into the grassroots sector. “The idea is to impose a £2 levy on stadium gigs, which would then be collected by an organisation and distributed throughout the grassroots community. So, promoters, artists, and venues would all have access to it,” Laura explains. “Football does it. Why can’t music do it? And it works.”
Adam McCarter, organiser of the No Play Festival, has spent a decade immersed in Liverpool’s grassroots scene. Starting as a DIY teen promoter, putting on ten band gigs in tiny venues. “I started promoting shows when I was 16,” he says. “That first gig made about 50 quid on an expenditure of a grand, and we were buzzing. It was completely DIY. We had no idea what we were doing, but we learned fast.”
That DIY energy carried him through various projects, including the short-lived Halfway Home promotions company. After COVID hit and many of the bands and audiences disappeared, Adam and co-founder Ted McDonald launched No Play as a fresh start. Their aim was to create a space where emerging artists could thrive without industry connections or unrealistic expectations.
“The whole idea came from recognising the gap,” Adam explains. “There were so many talented people with nowhere to play. We needed a platform that wasn’t based on who you know or how many tickets you can sell. Just music.” His decade of experience shows how vital grassroots infrastructure is. It is not just for venues, but for everyone coming up through the ranks. “That whole history gave us a really good start. I’m 25 now, but I’ve got 10 years of experience behind me. Without grassroots spaces, that wouldn’t have happened.”
The Association of Independent Promoters (AIP) has the primary aim of developing a collective voice for independent promoters, to raise key political and industry issues, and to set standards. Without promoters, there would be fewer grassroots venues and less development of artists and roles in the industry.
In March 2024, AIP was invited to present evidence to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry into grassroots music venues. The API said: “The grassroots music sector is the backbone of the entire music ecosystem, extending far beyond venues to include promoters, artists, the creative workforce, recording studios, rehearsal spaces, and outdoor events and festivals”.
They recommended that the Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) undertake a comprehensive economic analysis of the impact of a cut to VAT, in line with the recommendations made in the report, including modelling a cut to a 10% rate, which is the European average, on tickets.
The lack of government intervention is a sore point for the community. “There’s been a massive lack of respect in the last few years from the government towards artists,” says Ismael. “Liverpool is made by its people, and they’re the ones keeping the scene alive.” As Liverpool continues to market itself as the ‘City of Music’, the grassroots foundations that earned it that title are being steadily eroded.
Recognising the fragmented nature of grassroots support initiatives, Music Venue Trust announced in late 2024 that it will unify all its funding streams under a single brand, Liveline, starting from January 2025. This consolidation aims to simplify and amplify investment into venues, artists, and promoters, strengthening the entire ecosystem that Liverpool’s musicians rely on.
Ismael fears what could happen if closures continue. “One of the most beautiful things in Liverpool is how local artists support each other. That only works if we have enough venues. If we keep losing them, bands will have to move to other cities to find opportunities.”
So what can be done?
Laura, Adam, and Ismael all point to the same thing: community support.
“The main thing is to keep attending gigs,” says Ismael. “Being there for the opening bands, buying merchandise when possible. Probably one of the most important things would be to buy tickets in advance. This makes a huge difference for bands, programmers and venues. As they can predict an audience and be ready in advance”.
Laura agrees. “If we want a future for live music that’s about discovery, joy, and connection. Not just algorithms and commercial tours, we need to invest in it. Emotionally, practically, and financially.” Sometimes, it really is as simple as asking the right question in the right pub on your first day in a new city and being welcomed into something bigger than yourself.
Words by Zena Morris