This Week in UK & Ireland Music: Wales Cuts Venue Rates, Grassroots Funding Lands Across the Nations, and Ireland Marks Music Month
By Written by Peter McVeigh
A big win for Welsh venues, decision day for England's grassroots music fund, fresh money for young musicians in Scotland and bands in Northern Ireland, and Ireland's biggest annual celebration of homegrown music kicks off. Here's what actually matters for working musicians and managers this week.
Wales cuts business rates by 30% for live venues, permanently
The Welsh Government announced on 15 September a permanent 30% business rates cut for eligible hospitality and leisure venues, replacing the current temporary 15% relief scheme and taking effect from 1 April 2027. It covers pubs, bars, cafes and licensed clubs with a rateable value under £51,000, and live music venues are explicitly named as eligible.
Music Venue Trust called it long overdue planning certainty after years of relief being renewed year to year, though it flagged that 8.5% of its Welsh member venues sit above the £51,000 threshold and won't see any benefit. If you run or book a small venue in Wales, this is worth checking against your own rateable value now rather than waiting for April 2027.
Source: https://media.service.gov.wales/news/30-percent-business-rates-cut-for-high-street-hospitality-and-leisure-venues
England's Grassroots Music Fund reaches its final round
Arts Council England and DCMS were due to announce Round 12 decisions on the Supporting Grassroots Music fund on 21 September, the final scheduled round of the programme, covering grants of £1,000 to £40,000 for venues, festivals, studios and rehearsal spaces.
Separately, the voluntary £1 per ticket levy on shows over 5,000 capacity, run through the LIVE Trust, has now distributed £1.5 million across two rounds this year to grassroots support programmes. Whether that levy stays voluntary or becomes mandatory has been one of the live sector's biggest open questions this year, worth keeping an eye on if touring or venue income affects your business.
Source: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/supporting-grassroots-music
Scotland confirms £10 million a year for youth music
The Scottish Government has committed a further £215,000 to the Youth Music Initiative's Formula Fund, bringing the total YMI budget across all strands to £10 million annually. The Access to Music Making and Strengthening Youth Music funds, worth £1.4 million combined for 2026/27, closed for applications on 9 September.
Over 242,000 young Scots benefited from the Access to Music Making strand in 2023/24 alone. Not directly actionable if you've missed this year's deadline, but useful context if you teach, run workshops, or work with youth music projects in Scotland.
Source: https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/targeted-funding/youth-music-initiative
Northern Ireland reopens its £750,000 Musical Instruments Fund
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has reopened the Musical Instruments Programme for 2026/27, with £750,000 available to individuals, bands and performing groups across Northern Ireland to buy or replace instruments. Applications close 15 October.
The previous round funded 134 individuals, bands and ensembles to the tune of £1.1 million. If you're in a band or ensemble in NI and have been holding off on new gear, this is a real, practical grant worth applying for before the deadline.
Source: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/lyons-announces-ps750k-musical-instruments
Irish Music Month returns with the President's backing
Irish Music Month is back for September 2026, run by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland and funded through Coimisiún na Meán's Sound and Vision scheme. All 22 IBI stations are boosting airplay for Irish artists throughout the month, alongside two flagship competitions, A New Local Hero and the Irish language Amhrán na Laoch songwriting competition.
The initiative carries the backing of President Catherine Connolly and support from IMRO, RAAP and Live Nation, with a combined value to Irish artists put at over €100,000. If you're an Irish artist or songwriter, both competitions are open now and worth a look.
Source: https://www.hotpress.com/music/hot-press-and-independent-broadcasters-of-ireland-confirm-irish-music-month-2026-for-september-23153395
UK Artist Touring Fund gets a second wave of levy funded support
The Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum and Musicians' Union have expanded their UK Artist Touring Fund with an extra £300,000 from LIVE Trust ticket levy money. Phase One covered 26 artists across 211 tour dates, against a reported combined shortfall of £2.3 million from over 250 applicants, with top up grants of up to £7,000 per artist.
Phase Two raises the cap to £8,000, or 40% of eligible tour costs, whichever is lower. If touring costs have been eating into your margins, this fund exists specifically to plug that gap, it's worth applying even if you missed Phase One.
Source: https://www.theticketingbusiness.com/2026/08/uk-touring-support-from-featured-artists-coalition-expanded-with-live-trust-funding-boost/