UK Artist Fund combatting the cost of touring crisis open to applicants

A response to the “cost of touring crisis” in grassroots live music, phase one of the £125,000 fund is open to applicants until Friday 20th March.

Date published: 17th Mar 2026

A UK Artist Touring Fund aiming to combat the hardships faced by artists and musicians on tour is open to applicants now, courtesy of the Featured Artist Coalition (FAC). The touring fund was established in partnership with the Music Managers Forum and the Musician’s Union in response to the ongoing “cost of touring crisis” in grassroots music. Phase One of the fund closes at 11:59pm on Friday 20th March. 

FAC’s touring fund (UKAT) aims to alleviate the challenges outlined in a 2024 Parliamentary report by the Culture, Media & Sport Committee, which identified the pressures faced by artists and musicians where the costs of performance, travel, and accommodation are rarely covered by ticket sales. UKAT will provide strategic “top-up” contributions to reduce shortfall in artist touring budgets, and will distribute proceeds of £125,000 collected by the LIVE Trust as part of a voluntary ticket contribution applied on arena and stadium shows for artists such as Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Radiohead, and more.

Phase One of the fund is open to UK-based artists performing domestic headline tours in small and medium venues taking place before 31st October 2026. FAC’s CEO, David Martin, said in a statement that the fund, “gives us an opportunity to change that narrative - to help artists build for the future and expand their touring activity, to provide breathing space for creative development and to ensure improved working practices” while hoping to create a “a positive ripple effect across the entire sector and provide a long-term solution for making grassroots live touring more sustainable.”

Find out more about the fund and how to apply on FAC’s website. 

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