Live Grassroots Venues Unite!

We created Artist Venue Trust with the important goal to protect, secure and improve live grassroots music venues in Canada. While there are organizations and charities focused on music, and even live music in Canada. There are none that address this very particular existential threat facing live grassroots music venues across the Nation. This work is being successfully carried out in the UK with MVT, their model is exactly what inspired Artist Venue Trust to start in Canada. Music Venue Trust has been doing this in the UK since 2014 and even coined the term "Grassroots Music Venues" (GMVs), which has gained International recognition.

We recognize that not all venues that host live music would be considered "live grassroots music venues". We are unable to work on behalf of all spaces which host music. To do so would dilute the research, campaigns, lobbying, tools and general the crucial support we undertake in support of our charitable mission. For this reason, when assessing whether a venue should be part of AVT and join the Artist Venue Alliance, we ask the following key questions:

• Is live music a key element of the venue? Is the venue known for its music (rather than for food, drinks, dancing, a beer garden etc.)?
• Does live music take place regularly? We appreciate that this varies from venue to venue, but there are established baselines we need to look at.
• Is the live music on offer predominantly original music? We appreciate that venues do sometimes program tribute acts and club nights but original live music must be a core focus.
• Is new music performed? By this we mean new material from established artists as well as new artists (sometimes successful artists return to these smaller grassroots venues that support emerging artists when they want to try out new material).
  
  

Also important to discerning whether a venue is considered to be a live grassroots venue is the intent of the performers. A live grassroots music venue should help artists to develop their careers, their material, performing skills, connection with audiences and fanbases. If a venue works predominantly with artists who do not aspire to a career in original music, then it is most likely not the type of venue that we would consider working with. Venues who host tribute bands, comedy, open mic nights etc are certainly important, but just not the focus of our work in supporting emerging music and live grassroots music venues.