What is the Survey?
Live DMA collects data of the venues and clubs part of the network every year, in order to monitor the situation of the live music sector in Europe. We have synchronised questions and definitions for all Live DMA members, and besides that, we provide our members with tools and guidance to improve their own observation work. Live DMA’s observation work is named ‘The Survey’, as part of the Live DMA project Live Style Europe, since 2017. It is a great tool to better understand the functioning of European live music scenes. The Survey presents details on the administrative formats, accomodations, functions, activities, audiences, human resources and financial situation of the European venues and clubs, as a crucial part of the live music ecosystem. The data collected provide a clear snapshot of the social, economic and cultural value of the sector.
Live DMA presents the key numbers in various publications since 2013, including recent reports on COVID-19 pandemic effects for music venues and clubs in 2020 and 2021. The data results are important for the representation of the live music venues and clubs on a local, regional, national, and European level. It helps policy makers to understand the role, capacities, and values of these live music entities. We encourage the use of The Survey to help the sector fulfill its objectives, such as being recognized as a crucial part of the cultural landscape.
Key numbers in a nutshell · venues & clubs

In 2017, for 2,597 venues and clubs part of the Live DMA network:
• 400,000 live music events organised, ~157 events per venues / year
• 950,000 artist performances, ~367 performances per artist / year
• 70 million audience visits, of which 83% paid an admission fee
• 87,000 workers, of which 27,500 paid professionals + over 56,000 volunteers
• Generating 1.8 billion euro income

In 2017, for 2,597 venues and clubs part of the Live DMA network:
• 52% are a non-profit organisation
• 63% has social and educational functions such as tools and support for emerging artists, or multidisciplinary functions such as cinema, theatre and photography
• 38% organises festivals
• 375 median capacity, with 87% smaller than 1000 capacity

In 2020 and 2021, for 3000 venues and clubs part of the Live DMA network:
• 78% less live music performances
• 1.9 million less artist performances
• 141 million less audience visits
• decline of social and educational activities
• million hours of paid work lost for freelancers
• thousands of permanent jobs lost
• € 3.1 billion less income
Facts & figures publications · venues & clubs

The European live music sector in times of pandemic

A first year of COVID-19 for the live music scene

European venues & clubs 2017 – data analysis

European venues & clubs 2015 – data analysis

European venues & clubs 2013 – data analysis
Live DMA members key facts and figures · venues & clubs
Our members are active participants in The Survey as they collect the data from their venues and clubs using Live DMA’s questions and definitions. After collecting the data on national and regional levels, our Survey coordinator is assisting our members to analyse the situation of venues and clubs on a European level with a set of key indicators. This also leads to the possibility to understand the diversity of live music venues and clubs in different countries accross Europe.
As an example, we see that characteristic business models in different European regions are mostly related to the administrative formats of the venues and clubs (public, non-profit or commercial).
Key numbers of music venues per Live DMA member
By following the links below, you can view some of the key facts & figures of the venues and clubs represented by our members in the different regions. Where possible, the pages also provide links to relevant data research of members itself or provided by members.
Live DMA member | Region | Overview key facts & figures |
ACCES | Spain | Overview of facts & figures – ACCES |
ASACC | Catalonia | Overview of facts & figures – ASACC |
CLUBCIRCUIT | Belgium (Flanders) | Overview of facts & figures – Clubcircuit |
COURT-CIRCUIT | Belgium (Wallonia-Brussels) | Overview facts & figures – Court-Circuit |
DANSK LIVE | Denmark | Overview of facts & figures – Dansk Live |
FEDELIMA | France | Overview of facts & figures – FEDELIMA |
KULTURA LIVE | Basque Country | Overview of facts & figures – Kultura Live |
LIVE FIN | Finland | Overview of facts & figures – LiveFIN |
MUSIC VENUE TRUST | UK | Overview of facts & figures – Music Venue Trust |
NORWEGIAN LIVE | Norway | Overview of facts & figures – NKA |
SVENSK LIVE | Sweden | Overview of facts & figures – Svensk Live |
VNPF | The Netherlands | Overview of facts & figures – VNPF |
LIVEKOMM | Germany | Overview of facts & figures – LiveKomm |
PETZI | Switzerland | Overview of facts & figures – PETZI |
We have also compiled all the data reports our members did, often in their national languages. Check it out here.
Key numbers of music venues per legal status
By following the links, you can view the key facts & figures of the venues and clubs represented by our members with a certain legal status
Public Non-Profit | Pdf download: Overview of facts & figures – Public venues |
Private Non-Profit | Pdf download: Overview of facts & figures – Private Non-Profit Venues |
Private Commercial | Pdf download: Overview of facts & figures – Private Commercial Venues |
Live DMA inventory
Live DMA inventory is a useful tool that helps mapping the European live music sector. It shows the representation of the network with two main data: the number of venues, clubs and festivals per countries & their legal status.
Methodology of the Survey
Since 2012, data collection and sector monitoring has been one of Live DMA’s first major pillar. As such, Live DMA is in a leading position when it comes to data collection on the live music sector and by the live music sector.
Developing our own methodology is a strong asset: we build a trustful relationship with the venues and clubs taking part in this project by analyzing their needs and building the necessary support structures. It is also a great capacity building exercise, as our members learn how to collect data and use the Survey as an advocacy tool at national level.
As Live DMA and its members own their data, we can also be reactive to quickly develop new research when needed, as it was the case during the COVID-19 crisis, for instance.
Although we publish our findings only every two years, the Survey is repeated every year to keep track of current numbers and situation of the venues and clubs, but also with the aim to discover trends and developments.