Coronavirus: Campaign launched to save grassroots music venues from closure
#saveourvenues
The Music Venue Trust charity has launched a campaign - #saveourvenues - to help save hundreds of grassroots gig venues in the UK from the threat of closure during the coronavirus pandemic.
Music Venue Trust says that there are current 556 venues at risk of permanently shutting their doors since live concerts were indefinitely stopped last month.
These independent venues are the lifeblood of the music scene and their existence is vital for the communities they serve and the plethora of artists they support. They are now facing an unprecedented threat.
One of the 556 venues facing a grim future is The Sugarmill in Stoke-on-Trent. Danni Brownsill, the venue’s chief booker and promoter, comments: “We're extremely proud to be a grassroots music venue.
“These spaces are pipelines for talent and absolute lifelines for the communities they serve and the talents therein. We cannot allow them to be consigned to the past. UK music culture as we know it will simply not exist without these spaces, so it is vital to protect them.”
As part of the #saveourvenues campaign, the Music Venue Trust has launched a website - www.saveourvenues.co.uk – where bands and artists will play ‘at home’ gigs during lockdown in support of their local venues that are currently in crisis.
Each of the venues has a fundraising page on the website featuring a target of funds that they need to reach to ensure their survival.
If a venue exceeds their specified target, then the extra donations will be distributed to the central #saveourvenues fund to help the wider grassroots music venue community.
Music Venue Trust lists four different ways music fans can get involved. They are as follows:
1) Donate to a specific venue’s fundraising page on www.saveourvenues.co.uk to see a list of local venues that urgently need help.
2) Watch ‘at home’ shows by artists supporting the #saveourvenues campaign.
3) Donate to the national #saveourvenues fund via www.saveourvenues.co.uk.
4) Help spread the word on social media using the hashtag #saveourvenues and the campaign link www.saveourvenues.co.uk.
Music Venue Trust’s CEO Mark Davyd says: “Without the support of music fans and artists literally hundreds of the UK’s grassroots music venues could go out of business, never to return, in the coming months. Please help to save every single grassroots music venue in the UK so that it can reopen after this crisis and continue to be a home to our musicians and our communities.”
Folk rock musician Frank Turner has helped spearhead the idea thanks to his recent Independent Venue Love shows from lockdown that benefitted four gig venues - Nambucca (London), The Joiners (Southampton) the Railway Inn (Winchester) and The Forum (Tunbridge Wells).
Frank Turner comments: “The UK live music industry is staring into the abyss right now. I’m not able to save the whole thing on my own, but I decided to do a series of livestream shows to raise money for specific independent venues that I know and love, and that are in serious risk of disappearing right now.
“The success of these shows demonstrated the love that exists between music fans and their favourite grassroots music venues so the #saveourvenues campaign is a brilliant way of building on that and hopefully giving artists and music fans a chance to get involved and play a big part in helping them survive.”
Tunbridge Wells Forum co-founder Jason Dormon, whose venue was saved by Frank’s endeavours, adds: “Frank Turner has always championed the grassroots sector, having grown up and learnt his craft in these venues.
“His generosity and commitment is truly admirable, he inspires live music fans to come together and unite in raising awareness and funds for the UK's grassroots music venues. We were totally overwhelmed and heartened by Frank’s help and the support and generosity of the local community.”