Under the three-year agreement, The O2 will make a donation to MVT for every debut arena headliner, formally recognising the role that grassroots venues play in developing future arena-level talent. The venue has hosted more than 50 first-time headliners in 2025 alone and is marking the launch of the partnership with an initial six-figure contribution.

Artists progressing from the grassroots circuit to debut at The O2 in the past year include Gracie Abrams, Pulp, Architects and Wolf Alice, all of whom previously performed at venues within MVT’s Music Venues Alliance.

Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons commented: “Whilst this might not be the first time we’re headlining the arena, it doesn’t make it any less special… Many of the venues where we had cut our teeth, including the Luminaire in Kilburn where we played our first headline show, had started closing down. This trend has only continued… and we have done everything we can to protect the essential grassroots scene.” 

He added that the band has implemented a £1-per-ticket levy on their current tour to support grassroots venues, noting the generosity of their audience.

Emma Bownes, Senior Vice President, Venue Programming at AEG Europe, said: “The O2 is proud to support the UK’s live music ecosystem, starting with the small stages in local communities. Every artist who headlines The O2 for the first time reflects the strength of that grassroots network. By partnering with Music Venue Trust, we’re investing in the pipeline that nurtures the next generation of breakthrough artists.”

MVT CEO Mark Davyd welcomed the initiative: “The success of our arenas is directly connected to the health of the grassroots venues where so many of those headliners began their journey. This partnership sets a powerful new benchmark for the industry… Our challenge to every other arena in the UK is simple: The O2 has taken a lead, now it`s your chance to follow.”

Lovett added that he has personally invested in the Music Venue Properties initiative and continues to support MVT and similar organisations: “We couldn’t care more about the essential work of small venues… and we think it’s brilliant that a venue like The O2 is making a meaningful donation, tied to their ‘first-time headliner’ model, to contribute towards a more sustainable ecosystem within live music in the future.”

The agreement marks a significant step toward greater collaboration between large-scale venues and the grassroots sector, aiming to support a more resilient talent development pipeline for UK music.