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MVT Launch Research Into UK Grassroots Venue Royalties
June9
UK charity Music Venue Trust (MVT) and music usage monitoring company Audoo have announced a new partnership aimed at examining whether public performance royalties are being distributed in a way that accurately reflects music played in grassroots music venues across the UK.
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Under the initiative, Audoo’s Audio Meter technology will be installed in a representative sample of 120 grassroots venues nationwide. The project will collect anonymised music usage data to help assess how royalty distributions compare with the music actually being performed and played in grassroots venues.
According to the organisations, the study is intended to provide evidence-based insight into royalty allocation systems, which currently rely on a combination of reported data, surveys, broadcast monitoring and other methodologies.
The announcement comes as Music Venue Trust continues its "Set The Record Straight" campaign, which has highlighted concerns from venue operators regarding royalty invoicing and reporting processes.
MVT says it has identified more than £666,000 worth of inaccurate PRS invoices issued to grassroots music venues across the UK. The organisation has shared several examples from venue operators who have reported significant administrative challenges linked to billing disputes.
Among them is Glasgow venue Slay, where venue representative Mark Miller described dealing with royalty-related issues as "a constant and exhausting battle rather than a partnership."
"Our venue exists to support artists and local music communities, but dealing with PRS issues has often felt like a constant and exhausting battle rather than a partnership," Miller said.
He added that incorrect invoices, ongoing reporting requirements and charges relating to artists who were not PRS registered had created substantial administrative burdens for the venue`s small team.
Music Venue Trust has also highlighted the experience of Southampton venue The 1865. According to MVT, shortly after taking over the venue`s operations, the management team received a PRS invoice for £125,000. Following an investigation, the venue concluded that the figure had been calculated using incorrect assumptions relating to ticketing and attendance data.
MVT said that with its support, The 1865 was able to secure additional time to review the figures and submit revised information.
Mark Davyd, Founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, said the new partnership with Audoo is designed to bring greater transparency to discussions around royalty allocation.
"Grassroots music venues pay significant licence fees every year, and venue operators rightly expect that money to flow back to the artists and songwriters whose music they actually champion," Davyd said. "This project allows us to contribute meaningful data and evidence to that conversation."
The research programme is expected to begin this month and continue through the autumn, with findings due to be published following completion of the study.
Music Venue Trust said the project seeks to answer a broader question about whether systems designed to support artists are accurately reflecting the role grassroots venues play in developing artists and audiences across the UK.
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