Event
| Date: | 17 February 2026 |
| Event type: | Webinar |
| Cost: | FREE to all Members |
Details
Grassroots Venues Are Essential!
Grassroots venues are where artists learn their craft, build audiences and develop sustainable live careers. Yet across the UK, these spaces are disappearing at an alarming rate, with venue closures directly affecting artist pay, touring opportunities and long-term career development.
In this UK-CMA Academy webinar, we’re joined by Mark Davyd, CEO and Founder of the Music Venue Trust, to explore the current challenges facing grassroots venues and why their survival matters to artists and industry professionals alike.
The session will cover the realities behind venue closures, the wider impact on the live music ecosystem, and how the Music Venue Trust is working to protect and support grassroots spaces across the UK.
This is a vital session for anyone who performs live, works with artists, promotes shows or wants to understand how the foundations of the music industry are changing.
Tuesday 17 February
7:30pm - 8:30pm (UK)
Online via Zoom
Open to all members including fan members
About Mark Davyd
Mark is the founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust and co-owner of Tunbridge Wells Forum, a venue founded in a toilet over 25 years ago. He leads the charity and its fundraising, its relationships with governments, media, major cultural institutions and the music industry.