Young people could lose access to UK grassroots music projects within 10 years, new research finds 

New findings have discovered that young people in the UK could lose access to grassroots music projects within the next decade, and a new campaign has been launched to ensure it doesn’t become a reality.

• READ MORE: UK grassroots venues suffering from “the complete collapse of touring” – here’s how you can help

The findings were shared by Youth Music – a charity that helps marginalised young people make and monetise music – which stated that in 10 years, young people across eight UK regions will lose access to grassroots youth music projects.

This prediction comes based on funding cuts seen across the UK in recent years, as well as the cost-of-living crisis and its resulting impact on the community. Statistics that Youth Music shared included that 41 per cent of grassroots youth music projects are now at risk – an increase of 17 per cent compared to last year.

Elsewhere, 54 per cent of the charity’s funded partners have a waiting list of young people who want to take part but can’t due to lack of funds, the organisation is only able to support one in five applicants – leaving over 260,000 young people without support – and over 40 per cent of the charity’s funded partners are set to face more financial difficulties over the next year.

In an attempt to combat this bleak prediction for the next 10 years, Youth Music has launched the ‘Rescue The Roots’ campaign. This is a call to arms that aims to drive systemic change, unite the sector to address the current crisis, and sustain the ecosystem for the long term.

It works through donations, and Youth Music will match every pound raised up to £1million. All of these funds will be distributed to youth organisations and emerging young creatives who are in urgent need of support – providing crucial support for over 18,000 young people in 2025.

The impact of the charity has been shared in a new documentary by Tell Studio, and Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens has also gotten involved by getting a tattoo to raise awareness.

“The UK music scene is in big trouble. Grassroots music projects are places for young people to build community, hone their passions and find purpose, and yet they are closing down at a worrying rate. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of organisations like Youth Music and the grassroots music projects they fund,” he said.

“That’s why I’m proud to support the Rescue the Roots campaign, and why I’m making my support permanent with this new tattoo. Rescue the Roots isn’t just a phrase, it’s a call to arms and a plea for fundraising support – it is the most important thing we can do to safeguard the next generation of musical talent. If we don’t, there will be no new artists, no fresh sounds, no future for UK music. Please help us Rescue the Roots before it’s too late.”

Elsewhere Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths added: “The crisis facing grassroots youth music projects is at breaking point. The lack of funding available is at critically low levels and the threat of closure for many is more imminent than ever. We cannot overstate what the closure of these incredible community projects means to not only the young people that they support, but also to the UK economy as a whole. In a turbulent time across the UK, music as a vehicle for social change is needed more than ever.”

“We’re not just asking for change – we’re making it happen. The time for action is now, and we urge you all to join us in safeguarding the future of UK music and making it more diverse, more accessible and more equitable for young people,” he added.

Visit here to find out more and get involved in the ‘Rescue The Roots Campaign’, and check out the documentary above.

As well as Jordan Stephens, vocal support for the UK grassroots music space has also come from The Last Dinner Party, who gave a shout-out to the music venues as they picked up their BRIT Award for Best New Artist earlier this month.

Last year saw around one venue close every two weeks in the UK live music scene, with a near 20 per cent increase in “emergency cases” with 200 still on red alert for closure. This led to the Music Venue Trust and Kate Nash calling for change in parliament.

“The way touring works right now is that you’re always over-budget, you go into the red, and fingers crossed you make nothing,” the latter explained. “You’re hoping you can make it zero and make absolutely fuck-all. It’s a bit of a weird job, really.”

That being said, the call for change has grown across recent years, and is reaching new heights in 2025. This particularly comes as the past 12 months saw the government back a long overdue call for a levy on tickets to gigs at arena level and above – adopting a ‘Premier League model’ with the top tiers of the live industry paying back into the ecosystem to keep the talent pipeline flowing, as they do in football.

On top of that, the new Labour government also promised a price cap on touted tickets, as well as a proactive approach to securing a more stable future for UK music and fans.

Change in 2025 has also been demanded following the poor impact that UK music had on the charts last year – with figures showing that not a single UK act made it into the worldwide annual charts of the year’s top 10 bestselling singles or albums in 2024.

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