US musicians join #MyMerch campaign to end venue fees on merch sales

The US-based Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) is joining the UK’s Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) in calling for an end to the mech fees charged artists to sell the merch at gigs.

Most venues, festivals, and promoters take a cut of merch sales at their shows that can range from 10% to 35%. While some provide sellers, most only offer an area to sell.

“This is an exploitative practice that interferes with one of the few ways fans can directly support artists in this challenging economic climate, and it must stop,” declared the UMAW.

The campaign calls on venues, festivals, and promoters to sign up as 100% Venues that take no cut of sales. They can register here.

So far, about 75 North American venues have taken the pledge. See the full list here.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.