UK's Everywhere At Once Festival Mobilizes 2,000 Acts as 37% of Clubs Have Closed
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 25
UK's Everywhere At Once Festival Mobilizes 2,000 Acts as 37% of Clubs Have Closed
1 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 25
Summary
More than 2,000 acts will play 26-28 June in local venues across the UK, with Becky Hill, Fatboy Slim and Tinie Tempah taking intimate rooms to spotlight grassroots music spaces.
The Music Venue Trust says the festival is meant to answer an existential squeeze on small venues, with 37% of UK clubs shut since the pandemic and more than half of survivors unprofitable last year.
That pressure has been compounded by higher national insurance and business rates, which the report says cost 6,000 jobs, while campaigners say nightclubs are disappearing at a rate of three a month.
Support is coming through donations and local schemes: Harry Styles is giving £1 per Wembley ticket—more than £900,000 in total—while some councils and larger venues are subsidising smaller spaces.
The festival also lands in Glastonbury's fallow year, turning the gap in the summer calendar into a national showcase for the venues many artists say are essential to building future music scenes.
As stadium tours thrive, is the UK’s music scene eating its own future by letting small venues die?
Are rising costs the only villain, or are changing fan preferences also killing the UK's local music scene?
"Everywhere At Once Festival 2026: A Nationwide Response to the UK Grassroots Music Crisis"
Overview
The Everywhere At Once Festival, organized by the Music Venue Trust from June 26-28, 2026, is a nationwide event designed to support struggling grassroots music venues across the UK. By adopting a unique decentralized model, the festival brings live music directly to local communities, maximizing audience accessibility and channeling support straight to individual venues. Artists perform in numerous grassroots spaces, helping to raise funds for music charities and ensuring the continued vibrancy of live music. This innovative approach highlights the importance of local venues and strengthens the foundation of the UK’s music ecosystem.