Everyone knows that the live music sector has been hit pretty hard in recent years. First with COVID, and more recently with the rising cost of living – people simply cannot afford to go out as much as they used to. Legendary venue Printworks is arguably one of many casualties of this, set to close its doors in the first quarter of the year. Getting people back inside clubs and generally enjoying the vibrant nightlife would have benefits across the board for these venues, and more broadly speaking, live music itself.
Germany leads the way in many respects with regards implementing innovative initiatives like this. In the capital, Berlin, young people aged 18-23 are set to receive €50 to go out clubbing. Named the Jungendkulturkarte, it offers free entry and a number of other benefits to participating venues in Berlin. A similar version of this in London would surely go a long way to alleviating the problems that many of our iconic music venues face.