Live DMA

@livedma 𝗮𝗻𝗱 @reset_network 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 Behind many sold-out shows and major festivals, ownership structures remain largely invisible to audiences, yet they play a decisive role in who operates stages, how risks are shared, and where revenue flows. The European mapping project on ownership concentration in live music aims to make visible who owns which stages and to situate this evidence within wider cultural and competition policy debates. The two ownership maps do not claim to be exhaustive, but they make visible a reality that has long been overlooked. They invite institutions, professionals, and citizens to ask a simple question: when we buy a ticket for a festival or a concert, who do we really support, and what kind of ecosystem do we want for live music in Europe? ⮕ Link to the maps in our bio. — Maps commissioned by Live DMA and Reset! network Research work conducted by Matthieu Barreira Maps, statement, policy paper and full repertoire of sources available on live-dma.eu and reset-network.eu

Meet Crowdbuilder, our new audience development tool 🎯 Crowdbuilder is a free, multilingual tool to help live music event organisers develop their audiences and strengthen their communities. It is the result of years of joint work by Live DMA and 17 European venues, driven by a shared desire to put their audiences centre stage. Whether you want to reach new audiences, deepen existing relationships, or spark new ideas – Crowdbuilder is here to help! 💬 The website is available in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Norwegian, with more translations also on their way Start building now on crowdbuilder.eu 🧱 🌐 Website by @david.daumer 🎨 Graphic design by @tinibuni.graphisme 📷 © Booststraat

Across Europe, live music venues, clubs and festivals are not simply facing a “fragile environment”, they are being progressively weakened by political choices and structural imbalances. At the end of March 2026, live music representatives gathered in Fribourg, Switzerland, for the annual Live DMA meeting, a timely moment to take stock of the sector’s condition across Europe. What emerged from these exchanges is a steady dismantling of the conditions that allow local music scenes to exist. 🔗 Read the full statement via the link in bio 📸 © Stefan Lucassen

In 2026, more than 200 European music festivals are owned by just four major groups, according to a recent study published by the European networks @resetnetwork and @livedma , highlighting two maps produced by researcher Matthieu Barreira. In Canada, a similar trend is unfolding, with one major player—Live Nation—accused of establishing a monopoly in the music sector. This discussion is part of Nuits sonores Lab, the discourse programme by @nuits_sonores and @european_lab , and aims to build bridges between the two continents and explore possible courses of action to respond to growing threats to music diversity. This panel talk is organised as part of the Reset! Live Podcast series. → Friday, May 15 14:00 - 15:00 Hôtel71 Free, registeration is recommended

📣 Join us for the LIVEMX Closing Event! This final event marks a key milestone for LIVEMX, bringing together beneficiaries, partners, and European stakeholders to: • Reflect on project achievements • Share experiences and lessons learned • Explore future directions for funding & support in Creative Europe and beyond Expect insights, discussions, and interactive breakout sessions designed to spark meaningful exchange 💡 🗓 11 May 2026 🕒 15:00 – 17:30 CET 📍 Online (Register through the link in the bio) #LIVEMX #beyondmusic #livemusicsector #creativeeuropeprogramme #musicmoveseurope

Qui possède quoi ? Plus de 200 festivals appartiennent à 4 grands groupes privés : comment faire face à l’hyper concentration économique dans la musique live ? 🔊 More than 200 festivals are owned by four major private groups: how can we respond to the hyper-concentration of economic power in the live music industry? Une rencontre avec @reset_network & @livedma 📆 Mer. 06.05 à 19h 📍 Audito de la Gaîté Lyrique 📣 Gratuit sur réservation, dans la limite des places disponibles 🌐 Billetterie en ligne

Following our latest GA, we are super proud to announce that @uajazznetwork is joining Live DMA as an associate member! The Ukrainian Jazz Network brings together key representatives of the sector (jazz clubs, festivals, venues, music schools, cultural institutions, labels, etc.) with the shared goal of building sustainable cooperation, increasing international visibility, and creating long-term partnerships between Ukrainian and global jazz communities. The network aims to act as a coordinating platform for professional exchange, education, mobility, and joint artistic production. The Live DMA network now spans over 18 countries, with 22 members representing over 3000 venues, clubs, festivals and live music organisations.

Last week, we held our annual General Assembly in Fribourg, bringing together 30 representatives from live music associations across 20 European countries. This is, as always, an important moment in the network’s life, allowing members to come together and share their updates, reflect on the past months, and work collectively on building the year(s) ahead. Over two days, discussions focused on some of the most pressing issues facing our network and its members. These included how music venues are positioned within national and European cultural policies, or how they are adapting to changes in audience behaviour and on-site spending, which continue to reshape economic models and audience development approaches. This event was also a great opportunity to officially welcome two new members – hello @uajazznetwork and ABEI (The Association of the Bulgarian Event Industry) 🎉 – and to meet the mentees from the START programme. Participants from Armenia, Cyprus, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic will work closely with mentors from the Live DMA network throughout 2026 and 2027 to support the development of national live music associations. More on this very soon 👀 We also re-elected our Board members for a new two-year mandate, with members entrusting them to continue strengthening recognition and cooperation across the sector, supporting a live music ecosystem grounded in curiosity and conviviality. Thank you to all participants, and a special thanks to the @petzifederation team, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, and were the perfect hosts for this GA ❤️ We were thrilled to discover Fribourg’s strong local music scene, visiting venues such as @nouveaumonde and @fri_son , but also the incredible @smemmusic , and gaining deeper insight into PETZI Ticket. Here’s to 30 more!

Research by @sigic_slomusic (commissioned by ESNS, @liveurope and @livedma ) explored what happens to opportunities for artists after the showcase stage. The biggest question: are they equal? Read more via the link in bio 💙

The launch of the @livemusicfund on 1 January 2026 in Germany fuels an ongoing dialogue on redistribution mechanisms, particularly ticket levies, which are reportedly being discussed in several EU and non-EU countries. Do ticket levies represent a promising future for the live sector, and particularly for small organisations? What change could they bring about? In a context where the live music sector is increasingly structured around a small number of dominant operators at the top of the value chain, and a much larger number of smaller actors operating with very limited margins, they come as an opportunity to address this imbalance and enhance our ecosystem’s resilience and sustainability. To get a better understanding of the vision and the mechanisms at work behind these schemes, we caught up with @felixgraedler , board member of the @bundesstiftunglivekultur and Project Manager of the Live Music Fund. 🔗 Read the full article via the link in bio 📸 © Jente Vanbrabant

For the music ecosystem to truly thrive, it must remain balanced: both large and small actors contributing with complementary strengths in ways that foster diversity, experimentation, and sustainable growth. Right now, that balance is under strain. Across Europe, multiple studies have shown that small and medium-sized live music venues are struggling – grappling with a set of challenges that goes beyond financial concerns. This comes in contrast with the current arena and stadium boom, described as driving record-breaking revenue for large players. What does this contrast mean for the live music sector as a whole? What do we really lose when smaller venues are endangered or close down? 🔗 Read about Live DMA and @reset_network 's maps of ownership in European live music via the link in bio

Drawing on examples from UK’s @musicvenueproperties and Denmark’s förening, Australian researcher Sam Whiting (@epic_and.or_brutal ) explores how community and cooperative ownership offers a path for venues to secure their future. In a context where inflation, rent hikes and real-estate speculation causes a threat to many venues, this comes as an alternative where venues, and their communities, can regain control over their tenure. “As the landscape of the music sector continues to shift and change, support for grassroots live music that is reliant on neither governments nor markets provide examples of hope and solidarity, but also stability and certainty for the sector.” 🔗 Read the full article via the link in bio