Music Venue Trust and National Lottery Unite for UK's Biggest Local Festival: Everywhere At Once

Experience live music like never before with Everywhere At Once, the UK’s biggest grassroots festival happening right in your neighborhood.

A Festival Like No Other: Everywhere At Once Brings Music to Your Doorstep

Imagine a festival where you don’t have to travel miles, camp in muddy fields, or fight crowds to catch your favorite bands. That’s the fresh magic behind Everywhere At Once—a groundbreaking event crafted by the Music Venue Trust in partnership with The National Lottery. Set to kick off from June 26-28, 2026, this festival will take over hundreds of grassroots music venues across the UK, transforming your local pubs, clubs, and halls into buzzing hubs of live music.

This initiative is perfectly timed to coincide with the weekend that would have hosted Glastonbury Festival—on a year when Glastonbury itself takes a well-deserved fallow break in 2026. So, while the iconic mud and tents take a pause, Everywhere At Once invites everyone to rediscover the heartbeat of British music culture right in their own backyards.

Spreading the Music Love from Corner to Corner

From the northern reaches of Inverness to the southern coast at Penzance, local venues will open their doors to hundreds of artists spanning the full spectrum—from beloved household names to daring emerging talent. This weekend festival is more than just a series of concerts; it’s a community builder, a celebration of local culture, and a rallying cry to reconnect with the grassroots venues that have long nurtured British music.

Mark Davyd, the CEO of Music Venue Trust, puts it simply: “Seeing hundreds of venues come together across one weekend shows the true strength and scale of the network that underpins live music in the UK.” This festival shines a spotlight on the vital role these venues play beyond major cities and festival fields—right on our high streets and in the heart of our towns.

Thanks to The National Lottery’s backing, Everywhere At Once isn’t just about visibility; it’s a practical investment in the lifeblood of the music scene. Davyd emphasizes that it “puts real investment directly into venues while amplifying their collective voice.”

Together, this sends a clear message: live music doesn’t just happen in major cities or festival fields – it happens on our high streets, in our towns, and in the spaces communities rely on.

— Mark Davyd, CEO, Music Venue Trust

From Pandemic Recovery to Grassroots Revival

The partnership between the Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery isn’t new—it began in 2021 as a lifeline to kickstart live music’s return after the pandemic lockdowns. This collaboration has continually reaffirmed the importance of grassroots music venues and promoters, who often serve as the first stepping stones for new artists.

Alastair Ruxton, Chief Impact Officer at Allwyn and operator of The National Lottery, highlights the festival’s wider cultural impact: “The Everywhere At Once festival will have more stages, and highlight more artists than any field can across the summer, creating a uniting moment for communities up and down the country to come together and enjoy incredible live music.”

Ruxton’s words resonate deeply, especially in a time when grassroots venues face mounting challenges yet continue to nurture the next generation of music legends.

A Festival with a Heart: Supporting Music Charities

Everywhere At Once is not only a celebration—it’s a charitable movement. During the festival weekend, attendees will have the chance to support several vital music-related charities. Donations will be shared among War Child, Nordoff and Robbins, Help Musicians UK, and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

George Fleming from Save Our Scene captures the spirit perfectly: “Venues across the country opening their doors for music and charity is a really powerful message, and Save Our Scene is excited to be part of it.” It’s a reminder that grassroots music never stands still, even when summer’s lull tries to settle in.

Bilk rocking the 100Club — a perfect example of grassroots energy in action. CREDIT: Jeanie Jean

The Bigger Picture: A Sector Fighting for Survival

The timing of Everywhere At Once is crucial. The UK’s grassroots music scene has been battling significant hardships. Recent reports revealed that between July 2024 and July 2025, 30 grassroots venues shut their doors for good. Even more sobering: over half of the remaining venues reported no profit last year, leading to over 6,000 job losses in the sector.

In response, the live music community has rallied around the idea of a ticket levy. This levy would funnel funds from big arena and stadium shows back into the grassroots venues and emerging artists who need it most. The goal? To ensure survival and nurture the next wave of talent by drawing support from the industry’s biggest players.

There’s mounting pressure for at least 50% of live music shows to voluntarily contribute to this levy by June 2026. If the industry doesn’t step up, the government has signaled it may make contributions mandatory by law.

While some companies like Live Nation have faced criticism for not engaging enough, they have stated their support for artists’ charitable choices and highlighted collaborations with stars like Coldplay and Biffy Clyro, who have contributed to the voluntary levy. Harry Styles, for instance, pledged to donate £1 from each ticket for his upcoming Wembley residency to the LIVE Trust, a move that’s helped raise awareness for the cause.

Government Support and Hope for the Future

The challenging financial landscape for grassroots venues has seen some relief. At the start of 2026, the government reversed its earlier plans for steep increases in business rates—a shift that could have devastated many small venues. Additionally, a support package was announced specifically targeting pubs and music venues, acknowledging their cultural and economic importance.

The ticket levy model takes inspiration from the Premier League’s system in football and enjoyed government backing in 2024, signaling a hopeful future where live music’s grassroots roots can thrive alongside the giants of the industry.

Looking Ahead: What to Expect

While the line-up and specific events of Everywhere At Once are yet to be fully unveiled, the festival promises to be an unprecedented celebration of UK music culture. With stages popping up everywhere from city centers to rural towns, it invites everyone to explore new sounds, rediscover their local venues, and celebrate the resilience of live music.

If you’ve ever longed for a festival that feels personal, community-driven, and bursting with talent — Everywhere At Once might just be the musical experience you’ve been waiting for.

FAQ

• What is Everywhere At Once?
  It’s a nationwide grassroots music festival happening June 26-28, 2026, across hundreds of local venues instead of one big site.
• Who is organizing the festival?
  The Music Venue Trust, The National Lottery, Save Our Scene, and the Association of Independent Promoters are jointly leading the event.
• Why is the festival happening during Glastonbury’s fallow year?
  To offer music fans an alternative celebration, since Glastonbury Festival itself will be on break in 2026.
• How does the ticket levy support grassroots venues?
  It’s a proposed system where large arena and stadium shows contribute financially to support smaller venues and new artists.
• Can attendees support music charities during the festival?
  Yes, donations will be raised for charities like War Child, Nordoff and Robbins, Help Musicians UK, and Teenage Cancer Trust.

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