Keeping Music Venues Thriving: sector insight to shape the future of live music in the Liverpool City Region

Liverpool City Region Music Board has published the findings from its Keeping Music Venues Thriving consultation event, which brought together venue operators, promoters and music sector professionals to discuss the challenges facing the region’s live music ecosystem — and the practical action needed to support its future.

Held at Camp and Furnace on 21 April 2026, the event was designed to create space for open, sector-led discussion about the issues affecting grassroots and independent music venues across the Liverpool City Region.

The event and report were supported by MusicFutures and the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Popular Music, whose expertise and research support helped shape the consultation process, gather sector insight and develop the robust report now being used to inform future priorities. Liverpool City Region Music Board is extremely grateful for their contribution. 

We are also hugely grateful to everyone who attended and generously shared their time, experience and insight. The depth and honesty of the conversations have provided the Music Board with valuable evidence to help shape its priorities and planning going forward. 

A sector under pressure, but full of ideas

The report captures feedback from 55 venue operators and promoters, gathered through a series of themed roundtable discussions. These conversations explored the pressures facing live music venues, including audience behaviour, rising costs, transport, parking, licensing, staffing, training, innovation and data.

A clear message emerged: the sector is under significant strain, but it is not without solutions. Those who took part highlighted real challenges, but also shared practical ideas, examples of good practice and opportunities for collaboration.

The report describes a sector that is moving from a position of survival towards a need for long-term sustainability. It highlights that many venues are dealing with changing audience habits, reduced secondary spend, rising operational costs and infrastructure barriers — all of which are making it harder to plan, programme and grow with confidence.

Key findings

One of the strongest themes was the shift in audience behaviour. Attendees described a rise in last-minute ticket buying, higher no-show rates and reduced spending in venues. This is making it harder for venues and promoters to forecast income, plan staffing and manage risk, particularly for smaller shows and emerging artists.

Transport was also identified as a major barrier to audience growth. Limited late-night transport, concerns about journey planning and the cost or availability of parking were all raised as factors that can discourage attendance or lead audiences to leave events early.

The report also highlights concerns around the traditional venue business model. Many venues continue to rely heavily on ticket income and bar sales, but rising costs and changing audience habits are putting that model under pressure. Participants discussed the need to explore alternative income streams, including membership models, multi-use venue spaces, community activity, creative partnerships and fan experience innovation.

There were also strong calls for better support around skills, staffing and compliance. Technical production skills, live sound training, safety requirements and access to funding information were all identified as areas where more coordinated support could make a real difference.

Another key theme was the need for better data. Participants said that many of the pressures facing grassroots venues are not always visible to policymakers. The report recommends exploring more consistent data collection, including attendance trends, no-show rates, accessibility information and venue needs, to strengthen advocacy and future funding bids.

Recommendations and next steps

The report sets out a series of potential “steps to action” for LCR Music Board, its Music Venues and Live sub-group, MusicFutures, local authorities and the wider sector to consider.

These include:

• continuing to lobby for improved late-night transport provision across the Liverpool City Region
• exploring how local grassroots venues could benefit from the LIVE Trust ticket levy model
• hosting further focused sessions on alternative revenue models, venue multi-use and audience communication
• considering the development of a regional touring resource directory
• exploring a venue quality audit framework, covering areas such as sound, accessibility and facilities
• engaging with licensing and transport colleagues around the specific needs of venues, artists, staff and audiences
• supporting ideas around live sound training, safety guidance and a possible regional Music Charter or Music Strategy
• exploring better regional listings, venue mapping and shared data tools
• encouraging peer-to-peer funding support or “funding surgeries” for venues

The findings will now be used by the Liverpool City Region Music Board to inform its forward planning, particularly through the work of its Music Venues and Live sub-group. They will help the Board identify where it can advocate, convene partners, support collaboration and focus its efforts where the sector has said support is most needed.

Listening to the sector

The Keeping Music Venues Thriving event was created to ensure that the voices of those working directly in venues and live music are heard in the development of future priorities.

With support from MusicFutures and the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Popular Music, the insight gathered at the event has now been developed into a detailed evidence base for the Board and its partners. This will play an important role in shaping future work to champion a resilient, inclusive and ambitious live music ecosystem across the Liverpool City Region.

Liverpool City Region Music Board would like to thank all venue operators, promoters, partners and contributors who took part in the consultation and helped shape this important report, with particular thanks to MusicFutures and the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Popular Music for their support in delivering the consultation, collecting the insight and producing the report.

Read the report: Keeping Music Venues Thriving Consultation Report 2026