Venues Day 2016

Venues Day 2016 will take place at London’s Roundhouse on Tuesday, October 18.

Organised by the Music Venue Trust, the one-day event will run from 10.30am to 6.30pm and is the only national event aimed specifically at the people who run small to medium scale independent music venues.

This year, it will centre on two themes: Localism & Community and Music Industry Partnerships. A full line up of panellists and partner organisations will be announced from May, with general delegate passes to go on sale from August.

“Venues Day is an important opportunity to bring together representatives from grassroots music venues across the UK and discuss the things that are important to them,” said the MVT’s Beverley Whitrick. “Each year we aim to move the agenda forward, improving awareness of the issues and seeking solutions to the challenges. Working with an esteemed venue like Roundhouse will attract further key partners to join us in this work.”

The first Venues Day was held in December 2014 in a bid to raise awareness of the challenges facing smaller venues. Its 2015 edition took place the Ministry of Sound and saw 400 delegates networking with representatives from leading music industry businesses, cultural organisations and advisors on issues such as accessing finance, insurance, licensing and legal issues. Panelists included culture minister Ed Vaizey UK Music’s Jo Dipple and BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq.

Roundhouse head of music Jane Beese added: “In addition to being a world class performance venue, Roundhouse is committed to working in partnership with other creative organisations to help develop artists of the future. Opportunities for young people are at the heart of our work, so playing a part in sustaining the network of venues in which many will get their first taste of music, as performers or audience members, makes real sense to us.”

Visit musicvenuetrust.com/2016/01/venues-day-2016-18-oct-at-roundhouse-london/ for further information.