London’s O2 Arena will donate ‘significant’ funds to grassroots music venues
- Text by Isabelle Blakeney
- Photography by Danesman1
Investing in the pipeline — The 20,000 capacity arena will provide funding to the Music Venue Trust every time it hosts a new headliner, on top of a ‘six-figure upfront donation’ under the new scheme.
London’s O2 Arena has partnered with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) to invest in grassroots music venues and recognise the role of small venues as a vital part of the music ecosystem.
Under a three-year commitment, the scheme will see the 20,000-capacity arena make a direct donation to the MVT every time it hosts a new headliner, kickstarted by a six-figure upfront donation recognising the history of the grassroots music venues.
According to the MVT, 35% of music venues in the UK have closed in the last 20 years, with 86 closing their doors in 2024 alone. Alongside its campaigns for increased funding for Grassroots Music Venues (GMVs), the MVT has this year raised £1.5 million for their Music Venue Properties campaign, putting grassroots venues into community ownership.
The initiative recognises the importance of a sustainable pipeline for young performers, noting figures like Gracie Abrams, Pulp, Architects and Wolf Alice, who first cut their teeth in grassroots venues, and have headlined the O2 for the first time within the last year.
Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, said: “The success of our arenas is directly connected to the health of the grassroots venues where so many of those headliners began their journey. This partnership sets a powerful new benchmark for the industry, proving that major venues can actively participate in securing the future of the talent pipeline.”
Ben Lovett of folk-rock band Mumford and Sons welcomed the announcement, citing his own work in supporting grassroots venues.
Read next: Fontaines D.C., Kneecap, Joy Crookes and more join new alliance to stand against the far right
He said: “We have done everything we can to protect the essential grassroots scene; lobbying various sitting governments, trying to educate anyone who’d listen to the fact that artists don’t just arrive in these arenas from nowhere.”
He continued: “We couldn’t care more about the essential work of small venues up and down the country and we think it’s brilliant that a venue like The O2 is making a meaningful donation to contribute, as we all should, towards a more sustainable ecosystem within live music in the future.”
Isabelle Blakeney is a freelance journalist.
Buy your copy of Huck 82 here.
Enjoyed this article? Follow Huck on Instagram and sign up to our newsletter for more from the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture.
Support stories like this by becoming a member of Club Huck.
You might like
American Football: The One With The Feelings
Many moons — The Midwest emo architects transformed a college experiment into a coming-of-age soundtrack. 25 years on, their latest iteration sees them bottle the same magic for the ups and downs of middle life.
Written by: Tracy Kawalik
London’s largest indoor skatepark to be demolished for padel courts
Better Extreme — The Barking skatepark’s fate follows that of similar indoor spaces in recent years, with operators GLL citing falling visitor numbers as the reason behind the decision.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Youthful joy & end-of-era poignancy at a London school prom
Leavers — For several years, Lewis Khan documented young people as they celebrated the last of their school days and the completion of their exams. The series is now collated in a new self-published photobook and short film.
Written by: Zoe Whitfield
A major Nan Goldin exhibition is coming to London
You Never Did Anything Wrong — Opening at the Hayward Gallery in November, the show will debut a new film from the artist and activist, alongside a slate of recent work.
Written by: Jack Dennison-Thompson
Activists replace Union Jacks with ‘Tax The Rich’ flags in Farage’s Clacton
Take Back Power — It comes after the Reform UK leader resigned as an MP and triggered a by-election in the constituency, following scrutiny over a £5 million donation that he had not declared.
Written by: Ella Glossop
Joe James: “I will never be absent in my children’s lives because I know it doesn’t feel nice”
Hard Feelings — As the silky MC prepares to release his debut album ‘The Ends Never Ends’, he joins our column on fatherhood and masculinity to discuss leaving his childhood home at 16, the manosphere and his risk-embracing approach to life.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
