A new UK initiative is helping touring musicians cut costs by allowing them to sleep at music venues. The scheme, backed by the Music Venue Trust (MVT), aims to convert unused space into accommodation for artists, making smaller tours more financially viable.
Addressing the Cost of Touring
Grassroots artists face mounting financial pressures from the cost of living crisis and rising fuel prices. MVT’s new funding initiatives focus on artist accommodation, with unused venue spaces being transformed into rooms for touring musicians. Mark Davyd, MVT’s chief executive, explains: “Accommodation costs are limiting touring options and venues, especially in rural locations where there may not be lots of accommodation choices.”
Voodoo Daddy’s Leads the Way
One of the first venues involved is Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich. The venue is being refurbished with new shower facilities and triple-stack bunk beds for touring artists. Owner Ben Street says the idea came from conversations with struggling musicians: “There’s so many times that we’d have international artists discussing the fee and trying to get over here, and one of the big issues was they were trying to cover the cost of accommodation.” Instead of charging separately, accommodation costs are folded into performance deals. Artists may accept a lower guaranteed fee in exchange for staying at the venue, avoiding higher hotel costs elsewhere.
Previously, artists often rushed off after shows to cheap hotels on motorways. “That means they finish the show, have to really quickly pack up and just disappear. It just wasn’t a nice experience for anyone,” Street says. Now, artists can stay on site, spend more time with audiences, and reduce travel costs. “They can sign some merch, we can have a drink with them after. It just makes the whole experience way nicer and financially viable.”
Artists Welcome the Scheme
Florida-based indie rock band The Jump Cuts, who will stay at Voodoo Daddy’s later this year, praise the initiative. “Accommodation is an amazing perk that helps international acts survive on the road,” they say. “Everyone’s touring on razor-thin margins. This setup helps keep the dream alive for smaller bands to still go on tour despite the rising costs of pretty much everything.”
Street draws on his own touring experience in Europe, where smaller venues often included accommodation and catering. He is not overly worried about potential damage: “Bands on tour can cause havoc, but I feel confident that most artists will appreciate what we’re doing and look after our little band hotel.”
Strengthening Local Scenes
Other venues see accommodation as a way to strengthen local live scenes and attract touring acts. The Cornish Bank in Falmouth offers residencies for artists to create new work. At Leicester’s Firebug, owner Matt Kirk believes offering accommodation could help attract artists who might otherwise bypass the city. “If we have the infrastructure to go, ‘Don’t go to Nottingham, come to Leicester,’ that’s huge,” he says.
Kirk also argues that lowering venue costs benefits audiences. Because accommodation costs aren’t factored into deals, “we can reduce the ticket price to make it more affordable. Twenty quid is actually quite a lot of money for people nowadays.”
Future Prospects
As grassroots venues battle rising costs and shrinking margins, MVT hopes these projects offer sustainable support. Davyd says the trust is in talks with 27 venues about developing accommodation, with roughly half of MVT’s member venues having potentially usable space. “Not all of them will house all the bands on tour, and not all of them can be available all the time,” he notes. “But if we can significantly drop the cost of accommodation as a factor for touring for the grassroots, it’s going to result in a lot more touring.”
