Liverpool City Council is offering a £3000 grant to grassroot venues to support up to six nights of live music programming. The grant also includes business support and advice, workshops and mentoring.
Priority will be given to venues that have capacity of 300 or less and newly established venues, with applications closing on Friday (13th February).
Liverpool is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which means they are committed to maintaining venues remain innovative and inclusive.
The programme will also provide a referral route into MusicFutures Promoter Development Project, a 12-month development offer to support promoters from under-represented backgrounds.
Grassroot venues have faced rising pressures over the past couple of years since the pandemic, increased running costs and the change in night-time audiences.
Over the past few months, Liverpool has seen the closure of iconic grassroot venues like Zanzibar on Seel Street.
Merseyside is home to over 500 music venues, such as the Jacaranda and Kazimier Stockroom, giving opportunities to both local and visiting artists.
One of the world’s most famous ever bands, The Beatles, found fame by playing shows in the Cavern Club during the early 60s. These shows cemented Liverpool’s identity as a music city.
Grassroot venues are vital for the growth and emergence of new artists in the city.
Manager at Outpost Liverpool, Harry Jones said: “A grant can be incredibly useful for a small venue as the cost of equipment and maintenance is really high and without it a venue can’t continue”.
The grant in partnership with Music Venue Trust will include two core pillars.
Many big artists today started their career by playing shows in grassroot venues, like Wolf Alice and The 1975. Without these venues, their careers could look a lot different.
Local live music fanatic Tom Almond said: “(Grassroot) shows definitely have a special quality about them, they allow artists and fans to connect in a more personal setting.”
The grant will also aim to strengthen Liverpool’s existing commitment of giving emerging artists exposure through grassroot venues.
For anyone interested in the grant, you can apply here: https://liverpool.gov.uk/grmv
