On Wednesday, PETZI and the Förderverein Schweizer Livemusik launched “Bis – Encore – Zugabe”, a campaign for a solidarity levy on tickets: CHF 1 per ticket at festivals, CHF 2 at hall, stadium and arena shows.
The money would go to an independent body and be redistributed to small and medium-sized non-profit clubs and festivals. More than 250 artists, promoters, associations and industry professionals signed the appeal at launch. By Wednesday evening the counter on the campaign site read 640+.
What is actually being proposed
The mechanics, as published: large commercial promoters pay a fixed amount per ticket sold to an independent organisation. Participation is voluntary. Anyone who joins commits to the agreed contribution. The organisation administers the money and distributes it according to transparent criteria.
The campaign’s own modelling puts the annual potential at up to CHF 3.7 million. This, however, is the best-case scenario if every large event covered by the model takes part.
Consultation on the design runs until 18 December 2026. Agreements and the structure of the funding body are planned for 2027. The target start is early 2028.
The model is similar to the UK Grassroots Levy and the German Live Music Fund. Both rely on voluntary contributions, while France has a mandatory scheme, enforced by the state.
Julian Riegel
Voluntary might be a deadly risk
The Swiss model depends entirely on the biggest promoters opting in. While it’s a non-political, relatively unbureaucratic model, its voluntary nature can also be its biggest risk: Switzerland is a small market with a small number of sizable commercial players. Especially with the ongoing consolidation of the live entertainment market. The sketchy Enhanced Group just bought DEAG, which owns Good News Productions AG.