A new report has revealed live music venues around Europe generate a combined total of more than £1.5 billion a year.
Compiled by European umbrella organisation Live DMA, the newly published report focuses on the activities and business models of its 2,597 members. Based on 2017 data, it found that the sector programmes at least 950,000 live music performances per year Europe-wide, attracting 70 million visitors and employing over 87,000 workers.
The venues generated a total income of over €1.8 bn (£1.5bn) over the 12-month period, of which €620m (£529m) was from ticket sales, and spend €530m (£452m) on direct programme costs and €560m (£477m) on personnel. The average expenditure across Europe is 32% on direct programme costs, 34% on personnel costs and 13% on housing costs.
The report acknowledges the "impressive numbers about artist performances, audiences, work and finance", adding that the study also shows "a high amount of social and educational functions especially in public venues, support for emerging artists, and a high share of volunteers engagement in private non-profit venues, all contributing to the high social, artistic and economical value of the European live music scenes".
More than 90% of venues in Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands and Switzerland are not-for-profit, while the majority in Germany, Spain and UK are commercial.
On average, a music venue or club organises 157 music events per year and programmes 367 artist performances during these events.
