UK Launches £12.5 Million Library Music Scheme as Ministers Add £15 Million for Emerging Artists
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 13
UK Launches £12.5 Million Library Music Scheme as Ministers Add £15 Million for Emerging Artists
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 13
Summary
£12.5 million will turn public libraries in England into “music lending spaces” with recording booths, mixing desks, free studio access and performance opportunities under a new government scheme.
Ed Sheeran helped shape the plan after promoting similar charity-backed projects to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy last year, with ministers pitching it as a way to widen access to the UK’s £8 billion music industry.
Another £15 million will go to the existing Music Growth Package, while the government also plans lighter licensing rules and longer festival contracts to support small venues and promoters.
The push comes as grassroots music remains under strain: more than half of small venues make no profit and three nightclubs close each week.
Separately, the LIVE Trust announced a £1 million boost funded by £1-per-ticket donations from major tours, extending support to more than 100 artists, venues and promoters since January 2025.
Is Ed Sheeran's voluntary ticket levy the new global model for funding the arts and saving cultural industries?
Can new library studios and artist donations truly save a grassroots music scene that has already lost 11,000 venues?
Does formalizing music in libraries risk taming the rebellious spirit that defined British rock and pop music?
"Revitalizing UK Music: Inside the 2026 ‘Turn It Up’ Strategy and Its £27.5 Million Investment in Talent, Venues, and Education"
Overview
In July 2026, the UK government launched the 'Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music' strategy to revitalize the music sector by improving access to music education and supporting talent from all backgrounds. The plan introduces major reforms, such as increased event opportunities for live venues, business rates relief, and new funding: a £12.5 million Library Music Scheme and a £15 million fund for emerging and mid-career artists. Michael Dugher was appointed as the first Music Champion to connect the government and industry, ensuring the plan’s impact and growth. These efforts aim to foster creativity, strengthen the talent pipeline, and secure the UK’s global music leadership.