A Ticket To The Future wins international Music Cities Award for Best Music Policy

The awards were announced during Music Cities Convention2026 in Hull, which brought together policymakers, city leaders and music ecosystem organisations from across the world to explore the role of music ineconomic, social, cultural and environmental development.

A Ticket To The Future was recognised alongside international finalists from New South Wales, Australia, New Orleans, USA and Bogotá, Colombia. The win marks the third Music Cities Award for Bristol Nights, following previous wins for Bristol Rules in 2021 and the Women’s Safety Charter in 2024, both in the Best Night Time Economy Initiative category.

This latest award recognises a different strand of the work: a long-term policy model designed to support the future of music across Bristol and the wider region. A Ticket To The Future sets out a new community-owned model of investment for the music ecosystem. The proposal is based on a 1%ticket contribution on music events, added at the point of purchase, with money going into a community-owned fund. The proposed fund would be administered through a Community Benefit Society, giving the music community a direct role in how the fund is governed and how resources are distributed.

The model has been developed through extensive engagement with Bristol’s music community, including venues, promoters, artists, music workers, researchers and sector partners. Research behind the project found that Bristol music events generate more than £42 million in annual ticket sales, with a 1% contribution estimated to raise between £400,000 and £1million per year, depending on implementation. Audience research also found that 93% of respondents would be happy to pay, or feel okay about paying, an extra 1% of their ticket fee to support the fund.

Updated economic modelling estimates Bristol’s paid and free music events generate around £510.9 million in total economic contribution, with estimated GVA of around £214 million.

The award jury praised A Ticket To The Future as a collaborative partnership seeking joint ownership from the whole music ecosystem. They highlighted its ambition to create a way for the music ecosystem to invest back into itself, offer an alternative to traditional government funding schemes, and ensure that the value generated by music benefits the local community.

Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said:

“This international award recognises the strength, creativity and passion of Bristol’s music community, and the collaborative work underway to secure its future. The Bristol Music Fund represents a new way of thinking about how we support culture in our city, placing community ownership, fairness and long-term sustainability at its heart. From the feedback of the judging panel it is clear that the self-sustaining goal of the initiative, to develop greater sector resilience that is sustained by its audiences, is a model that can both inspire and activate others to explore.

“Music is integral to Bristol’s identity and to the social and economic life of our city. This work shows what can be achieved when artists, venues, industry and the public sector come together with a shared ambition to protect and grow something that matters deeply to our communities. I wish to share my thanks to all involved up to this point. I look forward to continuing to work with you on the next steps for the fund.”

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:

"This latest award is another recognition of our region's special place in music and culture, something which will only be bolstered by our clean energy pilot for big events this summer and the upcoming opening of the Aviva Arena. Gig-goers from my generation know that entire genres have been invented here in the West Country, on the doorstep of the world's biggest music festival, but we can all see the pressure facing too many venues today. We have much to be proud of and to build on. Working together, I'm excited by the emerging plans to further support grassroots music across the West of England."

Carly Heath, Bristol Night Time Economy Advisor, said:

“A Ticket To The Future was built with the music community, and this recognition belongs to everyone who has contributed their time, ideas and experience to shaping it. The work is about asking how we create a fairer and more sustainable future for music. It is about recognising music as part of our civic infrastructure, not just something that happens in venues at night.

“There is still a lot of work to do, but this award gives us confidence that the approach we are developing here has international relevance. It shows what can happen when cities listen to their creative communities and work with them to shape policy from the ground up.”

Laura Lewis-Paul, founder of Saffron, said:

“To receive a Music Cities Award for Best Music Policy, alongside cities such as New South Wales, Bogotá and New Orleans, is incredible recognition for what Bristol’s music community has achieved together. A Ticket To The Future and the Bristol Music Fund were created because people across Bristol’s music ecosystem came together to imagine a better future for music in our city.”

The award comes ahead of the next phase of work for A Ticket To The Future, with a Phase 2 publication expected later this month.

This next phase has focused on the cultural, ethical and strategic foundations of the future fund, including mission, vision and values, ecosystem mapping, research partnership insights, belonging and participation principles, and the development of a Theory of Change and impact framework.

The Phase 2 output will help carry the design principles forward into the next stage of community conversations and future Community Benefit Society development.

The award provides a positive platform for Bristol, the West of England and the music community as work continues to build long-term support for the region’s music ecosystem.

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www.bristolnights.co.uk/a-ticket-to-the-future