London’s Royal Albert Hall becomes first arena to commit to £1 ticket levy

The Royal Albert Hall in London has become the first arena to commit to the £1 LIVE ticket levy, an initiative to support grassroots venues.

The move makes Royal Albert Hall the first venue with a capacity for over 5,000 to commit to the levy.

Coming into effect on 1st October 2025, a £1 contribution will be added to tickets for all commercial rock and pop concerts, raising an estimated £300,000 per year for LIVE Trust, with funds going to grassroots venues.

James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall and founding trustee of the LIVE Trust, said, “The grassroots is essential for the development and discovery of new artists, honing live performance skills, building communities, and fostering innovation and fresh talent both on and off the stage.

“By embracing the £1 contribution and becoming the first arena where it is ‘always on’, we are adding this charity’s name to the growing momentum around the £1 grassroots contribution”  

“[I] look forward to playing my part in ensuring that every pound raised has the maximum impact, securing a thriving the grassroots music sector for generations to come.”

Jon Collins, chief executive of LIVE, said, “For such an important and iconic venue as the Royal Albert Hall to make this commitment is a huge indicator of the growing levels of confidence in the LIVE Trust. 

“With an ever-increasing schedule of major tours announcing their support alongside numerous individual company initiatives, which are creating new revenue opportunities, the LIVE Trust is well placed to begin its mission to support grassroots music across the UK. 

“We thank the team at the Royal Albert Hall for this forward-thinking and innovative announcement and hope that others will be inspired to follow suit.”

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Header image credit: Royal Albert Hall / Facebook.com