Jon Collins Interview: UK’s £1 Ticket Levy Raised £2.5 Million

Artists choose whether to add it. American acts including Diana Ross, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bowling for Soup joined first, Collins said. Olivia Dean, Florence and The Machine, Harry Styles, Lily Allen and Take That have since added "the pound," as he calls it. Sam Fender has committed for next year.

"We've got over 130 tours now carrying the pound," Collins said.

The fund has another £6 million "guaranteed" with partnered artists. Collins expects it to distribute £7 to £8 million in 2027.

Where the money goes

A board of industry experts hands out the money in funding rounds. The first round went to seven programs covering artists, venues, promoters and festivals.

One program eased touring costs. Another helped venues turn high utility bills into green energy. Small and micro festivals got a boost. The trust also teaches communities in Northern Ireland and Scotland to stage and promote events, and puts young artists on stages for younger audiences.

Why the UK acted

Collins and a coalition of 13 live music organisations found an ecosystem out of balance. Stadium tours did well, but artists, promoters and venues at the middle and grassroots levels struggled. In 2025 alone, 43 festivals were cancelled and 30 venues closed permanently.

Fans with less spare cash stopped gambling on local gigs, he said. Venues leaned on predictable cover shows instead.

"If you’ve only got limited disposable income, do you want a guaranteed seven out of 10 night out going to see an Oasis cover band … or would you rather go and see that band that you’ve not really heard of that could be a real two out of 10 stinker?" Collins said.

The NSW proposal

A ticket levy is the frontrunner among 37 recommendations from the NSW State of Live Music inquiry, tabled this week. The committee held three hearings and received 105 submissions. It found rising operating costs, insurance premiums, user-pays policing charges, changing audience behavior and limited artist development pathways were stifling the sector.

Committee chair Sarah Kaine said a levy would create sustainable funding for the next generation of artists and venues.

The Australian Music Venue Foundation, a lobby group for grassroots venues, first proposed a $1 levy on every ticket for shows above 5000 patrons. It estimates five major Sydney venues alone could generate $3 million to $3.15 million each year.