Ethical ticketing platform Ticketpass has launched a new ticketing package that will provide support to struggling grassroots music venues and charitable causes.
The new package will see a flat 10% service fee applied to all tickets sold on the Ticketpass platform. Then, 40% of this fee will be handed back to the venue that is staging the event.
The remaining 60% of the service fee applied by Ticketpass will see a 30% donation made to a charity nominated by the venue.
This practice is known as a ‘venue rebate’ or a ‘kickback’ and is commonplace in the ticketing industry, with venues struggling in a post-pandemic market. Soaring energy bills, costs and possible lower turnouts, grassroots venues are requiring a boost in order to secure their future.
The goal for Ticketpass is for more music venues and promoters to utilise the platform. The platform is aligned with over 4,000 charities globally so with more partners, more donations will be made to these causes.
Russ Cook, content and partnerships manager at Ticketpass, said: “The problem here, however, is transparency. This is an industry standard practice, yet it’s not really something anybody talks about openly. Fans and attendees have no idea. Ticketpass wants to do things differently, letting music lovers know exactly where their spend goes.”
Ticketpass is also urging venues to make their donation out to Music Venue Trust, a UK charity dedicated to securing the future of grassroots music venues.
Cook said: “We’re encouraging music promoters to choose the Music Venue Trust as the recipient of this donation. We want it to be a cyclical thing, whereby venues support the charity that supports them in their time of need.”
He added: “Imagine a rejuvenated music industry with venues owned by those with a vested interest in their success as a music venue. Combine that with a support system that sees charities, across the world, benefit every single time a ticket is sold to a concert and you’re winning.
“That’s a much brighter future for live music, and a far fairer one for the fans.”