Grassroots music in London just got a major boost, as the O2 announced direct donations to the Music Venue Trust each time a new artist headlines the arena.
As part of a three-year commitment, the O2 will help the grassroots ecosystem, which nurtures artists in the early stages of their careers, receive tangible, ongoing support from the very venues that later host their success.
In 2025, the O2 hosted 50 first-time performers, including Gracie Abrams, Pulp, Architects and Wolf Alice, all of whom got their start at venues associated with the Music Venues Alliance.
The move has been praised by giants in the music industry, including Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons.
‘Our first time taking to the O2 was in 2012, back when many of the venues where we had cut our teeth, including the Luminaire in Kilburn, where we played our first headline show, had started closing down,’ he said.
‘This trend has only continued, in London and across the country, and 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.’
Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, said: ‘This is a hugely significant and welcome move from The O2. 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.
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‘Our challenge to every other arena in the UK is simple: The O2 has taken a lead, now it’s your chance to follow.’
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol have both been purchased with support from Arts Council England.
Artists including Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, PJ Harvey, Oasis, IDLES and Wet Leg played at the venues early in their careers,
The trust helps by removing the venues from vulnerable leases by purchasing the freehold of the buildings and placing them into community ownership.
Since launching in 2022, the Own Our Venues campaign has raised almost £4 million through a combination of community investment — with music fans buying shares from as little as £50 — and vital funding from cultural partners.
The Joiners and The Croft join The Snug in Atherton, The Ferret in Preston, Le Pub in Newport, The Bunkhouse in Swansea and The Booking Hall in Dover as venues now owned by the music community.
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