Resources

Live Comedy Association - Hardship Fund

The Live Comedy Association (LCA) has today launched an initial, emergency hardship pot for comedians and promoters affected by the nonpayment of ticket income at  Leicester Comedy Festival 2026.  The £5,000 fund is an initial amount set aside by the LCA Directors from the Stand Up And Give Fund to support those in urgent financial need due to unpaid money.  Full details of the fund, and how to apply, can be found here

The Stand Up And Give Fund was launched in autumn 2025 and has so far raised over £30,000 from donations and fundraising events.  This money is supporting the LCA’s lobbying work, to get greater recognition and support from government, but also funding activities and projects which benefit the sector.  Following contact from an LCA member, the Directors recently met and agreed to allocate an initial amount of money to directly support people who have been impacted by the Leicester Comedy Festival situation.

Jessica Toomey, Director of Live Comedy Association, said “we have been aware of the impact the nonpayment of ticket income from Leicester Comedy Festival 2026 has had on some of our members, and the wider live comedy community. We recognise that increasingly times are tough for comedians, promoters, festivals and venues and we want to support those working in the live comedy sector when things become difficult.

We know £5,000 won't help everyone affected but wanted to make a start for the members struggling most. If we find there is a need to allocate more funding, we will explore every opportunity to provide more funds so a greater number of people can benefit.”