The Live Music Act is enacted today and removes regulations for small venues in England and Wales staging live amplified music in their premises.
Venues with a capacity of under 200 will no longer need a licence from their local authority to hold amplified music events between 8am and 11pm.
UK music, the umbrella body for the music industry, said it expects 33,400 venues to stage more live music than they have in the last 12 months, according to research it commissioned.
The removal of red tape could lead to 13,000 venues staging live music in their premises for the first time and a further 20,400 increasing their current provision of live music, the research found.
The Act was
Jo Dipple, chief executive of UK Music said, "The results of this baseline research are very exciting. The Act, as we had hoped, has a potentially huge impact on the live music scene. The purpose of this legislation is to encourage more live music performances. Small venues will no longer have to apply to their local authority to stage live music. The Act will mean that the staging of live music will be cheaper and easier for venues up and down the country."
Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, communications and the creative industries at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "The Live Music Act is a thoroughly welcome piece of legislation. I am delighted that early indications show it will energise tens of thousands of new live music performances, exactly as we hoped."
The UK Music research also revealed the need for more education about the Act, as 78% of small venues surveyed were unaware the Act has been passed. UK Music is now working with the Musicians’ Union on an awareness campaign for venues and artists.
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