Now in its third year, Independent Venue Week is back in January 2016 with a week-long series of gigs all around the UK.
The 7 day long campaign which runs nationally but with a local grassroots focus has grown again from last year with 120 now venues taking part, from Aberdeen to Exeter and Belfast to Norwich. Among venues joining this year are The Hare & Hounds and The The Roundhouse (Birmingham) Quay Arts (Isle of Wight), The Soundhouse (Leicester) and Nambucca (north London).
This year’s Ambassadors are Mercury Prize Shortlisted Artist Wolf Alice who are taking over from Frank Turner (2015) and Colin Greenwood (2014).
“We are proud to be ambassadors of this year’s Independent Venue Week and ask for people’s support so these kind of unique, intimate and sweaty shows continue for everyone to enjoy. Venues that we started off playing along with so many other bands have created some of our funnest memories to date. We’d love for that to continue for us and for other bands, please show your support.”
Artists performing over the 7 days include Everything Everything, Matthew E. White, Mallory Knox, Childhood, Misty Miller, Beans on Toast, Eliza and the Bear, Saffron (Republica) Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, Georgia, Get Inuit and Edwyn Collins who is following up his involvement last year. As well as playing live, he is also curating the week at Hebden Bridge Trades Club.
Other curating partners include Rob da Bank and Sunday Best, BBC Introducing, PIAS, Domino Records and The Joe Strumner Foundation with a DJ set from Shikari Sound System. More artists will be announced across social media in the coming weeks.
This year, IVW is partnering with two charities; Attitude is Everything, the music charity that works with audiences, artists and the music industry to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music. Also involved is Stay Up Late with their gig buddy scheme linking adults who have a learning disability to a volunteer with similar interests in music, so they can attend gigs together.
Helen Sprott, Director, Music at Arts Council England, said: “Arts Council England is pleased to be supporting I Like The Sound of That and their brilliant Independent Venue Week project for the second year running through our Grants for the Arts programme. It is vital that independent venues are recognised for the value they bring both to their local communities and the national music scene. Over the last year, Independent Venue Week has grown, diversifying its offering with projects for charities such as Stay Up Late and workshops for young people. It is ideally placed to continue delivering the Arts Council’s ambition to support and celebrate grassroots artists across the country.”
This year see’s continued support from founding partners PRS for Music, Musicians Union and Marshall Amps as well as Vauxhall returning for a second year with their Vivaro On Tour campaign offering artists free use of a touring van throughout 2016. Partnering for the first time is Open Live with their with their venue and artist technology that records high definition live audio, Live & Loud with their online booking service for venues and artists and east London music focused brewery, Signature Brew.
Paul Sims, Head of Marketing PRS for Music “We are very proud to have been involved with Independent Venue Week since its launch and are delighted to be able to support its continued growth once again in 2016. Our members love playing in small live venues and Independent Venue Week’s determination to safeguard their future is a cause very close to our hearts.”
IVW are, once again, running their free workshops in partnership with Cato Academy. The workshops offer help and advice for 14-20 year olds in developing a career in live music touring and production. 5 workshops will take place in January in Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Liverpool and London – full details and how to apply can be found on the website.
“It’s great to be back again already – this third year is our most exciting yet” said Founder Sybil Bell. “Wolf Alice has had an incredible year playing so many of the venues we are working with culminating in their sell out show at Brixton Academy. That’s the kind of journey bands go on and we’re so chuffed to have them as our Ambassadors this year.”
Details of all participating venues can be found at the main website independentvenueweek.com
Dates and ticket links will go live on the site as shows are confirmed and more gigs, artists and partners will be announced over the coming weeks.
