New ‘traffic light’ campaign to save music venues

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has launched a new campaign to help save venues in danger of closing their doors for good as the pandemic restrictions continue.

The new ‘traffic light’ campaign will highlight the 353 venues considered safe (green) until 31 March next year, the 273 considered to be at risk of closure between now and that date (amber) and the 30 at imminent danger of permanent closure (red).

It will also highlight the 187 venues who have to date proved difficult to contact or have not responded (blue).

It comes at a time when the creative industries have been decimated by the impact of coronavirus, with theatres forced to close, live music cancelled and tours cut short.

A range of targeted activity under the #saveourvenues banner has also been announced, based around a combined effort by audiences, local communities, local councils and the creative community to prevent the permanent closure of these remaining venues

The trust is now urging everyone who cares about these venues to write to their local MP, council, local charities, and anyone else they can think of to demand action to prevent them being closed for good.

A new crowdfunding initiative powered by Crowdfunder is also being launched today (11 November) to secure the future of these 30 venues listed as red under the campaign.

By visiting a single landing page – www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-venues-red-list – people can choose an individual venue to donate to .

If an individual target is reached by a particular venue the surplus donations will go towards supporting other venues in crisis.

‘What the #saveourvenues campaign has achieved during the last eight months is truly remarkable,’ said trust chief executive, Mark Davyd.

‘Thanks to the efforts of music fans, local communities and the wider music sector we have raised over £3m in donations and have unlocked over £80m in government assistance to help stave off the imminent closure of over 400 grassroots music venues.

‘We are now focusing exclusively on those 30 remaining venues which face immediate permanent closure.  If people want these local venues to still be there when this is over there is a very clear call to action –  choose a venue, get donating, get writing, get calling, get organised.  Save them all. Reopen every venue safely.’

Photo Credit – Supplied