Independent Venue Week 2021 gets underway today, boasting a packed line-up of events including live performances, industry panels, interviews and more.

Running all this week from, January 25-31, the eighth annual Independent Venue Week will highlight and celebrate the vital importance of independent venues, with over 110 venues participating in 96 live performances, 23 ‘In Conversations’, 11 industry panels, two quizzes, one documentary and one festival. 

Here, we’ve compiled the full schedule of Independent Venue Week 2021 so you don’t miss a beat during what promises to be an exciting and informative programme of events.

PERFORMANCES

ARA DEG
TUESDAY 26 JANUARY FROM 10AM | Watch live here

Gruff Rhys, Independent Venue Week 2021’s Welsh ambassador has specially curated Ara Deg, an online festival streamed from Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda featuring performances from artists Gruff Rhys, Brìghde Chaimbeul, N’famady Kouyate, Cerys Hafana, Rhodri Davies.

MUSIC FEEDS
THURSDAY 28 – FRIDAY 29 JANUARY

Independent Venue Week 2021 is the official venue for MUSIC FEEDS, the original at-home charity music festival supporting FareShare to help fight food poverty. The festival gives access to one-of-a-kind performances specially recorded by more than 40 artists to raise funds for charities FareShare, Stagehand and Help Musicians.

It is supported by Co-op, the ethical UK retailer, and presented Everybody Belongs Here, the music event promoter who is working for positive societal change.

Performances inc. Sam Smith, Liam Gallagher, Blossoms, Fontaines D.C., DMC, Amy Macdonald, Newton Faulkner, Beverly Knight, Adam Duritz & David Immergluck (Counting Crows), Steve Mason, Kyle Falconer (The View), Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), The Slow Readers Club, + many more.

Tickets are £15 for both days and can be purchased here

BBC 6 MUSIC w/ Steve Lamacq
THE FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL | Independent Venue Week Special
FRIDAY 29 JANUARY – 6-7PM | Listen live here

Steve Lamacq dedicates his show to IVW playing music picked by indie venues such as The Joiners, Southampton and accompanied by messages from key people in the scene, as well as, an interview and live performance from IVW’s 2021 ambassador, Arlo Parks. Friday will also mark the date of Arlo’s debut album release – Collapsed in Sunbeams.

INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK 2021 AMBASSADOR SHOW: ARLO PARKS, Bush Hall, London
SUNDAY 31 JANUARY – 7PM  | Tickets via donation w/ round 360 viewing option

Alasdair Roberts Trio / The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, eädyth / Cardiff MADE, Cardiff, Connor Fyfe + Emily Rhodes / Bootleg Social, Blackpool, Cowgirl / Fulford Arms, York, Gerry Lyons / Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, Lau. ra / Hot Box Live Events – Chelmsford, New Pagans / Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast, New Model Army / The Mill, Bradford, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets) / The John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, Natalie McCool + Pixey at the brand new music venue – Future Yard, Birkenhead + much much more.

The Boileroom, Guildford stages a full week of happenings including performances from Never Not Nothing, Guildford Jazz presentTrish Clowes, a showing of ‘Screening The Venues That Changed Everything’ + ‘In Conversation’ interviews – see here.

Frank Turner will play an ‘all request’ YouTube solo show in support to save some of the UK’s favourite indie venues – Boom, Leeds, and The Waterloo, Blackpool, whilst Young Knives will be performing a special set to support The Adelphi, Hull.

Very special streams will also be coming from IDLES and Bombay Bicycle Club – stay tuned to the IVW site for more details.

To view all performances taking place across IVW, please visit: independentvenueweek.com/uk/ivw21-schedule

‘IN CONVERSATION’ INTERVIEWS

TAKE 5 w/ SIMONE BUTLER, PRIMAL SCREAM
MONDAY 25 – SUNDAY 31 JANUARY – 7PM DAILY  | Watch live here

Guests inc. Johnny Marr, Skin, Andy Bell, Jason Williamson, Roni Size, Leila Moss, Matt Everitt

THE BIG JEFF CHAT
MONDAY 25 – SUNDAY 31 JANUARY – 1PM DAILY | Watch live here

Artist, legendary gig goer, and disability ambassador for IVW, Big Jeff, speaks to musicians about anything + everything, often touching on mental health and wellbeing.

Guests inc. The Blinders, Dry Cleaning, Chubby and the Gang, and Billy Nomates
FRIDAY 29 JANUARY – 8PM | Watch live here

Guests inc. Kevin Cole – KEXP 

IN CONVERSATION w/ ROB WILMHURST, CEO of SEETICKETS, hosted by Boileroom, Guildford
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY – 6PM | Watch live here

IN CONVERSATION w/ LUCY WOOD AND RUTH BUTLER, The Roundhouse, London
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY – 12PM | Watch live here

IN CONVERSATION w/ ADRIAN UTLEY, PORTISHEAD 

FIRESIDE CHAT w/ BRIX SMITH + YOUTH
They chat about their careers, playing grassroots music venues and working together.

PANELS w/ industry professionals

INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK 2021 PANEL: MUSIC, CULTURE, & THE NIGHT ECONOMY
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY – 3PM  | Watch here

A look at what music, grassroots venues and culture mean to local communities, how they have been impacted over the last year, and what can be learnt to protect them in the future.

Guests inc. Andy Burnham – Mayor of Greater Manchester, Tracy Brabin – Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin – CEO UK Music, Big Jeff – Bristol Gig-goer and Artist, Nathan Clark – Owner, Brudenell Social Club (Host), Dom Frazer – Owner, The Boileroom 

NTIA (NIGHT TIME INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION): THE NIGHT TIME ECONOMY FORUM
TUESDAY 26 JANUARY – 1-3PM | Sign up here

An opportunity for business owners and managers to proactively discuss and debate key issues surrounding Covid-19, Licensing, Insurance, Exit Strategy and sustainability over the next 12 months and beyond. The NTIA works with the Government via DCMS and BEIS, looking at protocols for the safe exit of the hospitality industry, in particular the night-time and events sector businesses post lockdown. NTIA has formed an All Party Political Group for the Night Time Economy supported by 35 Westminster MPs, looking at driving for further financial support for the night time sector.

THE BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB & PPL PRESENT: ACCELERATING YOUR MUSIC CAREER
WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY – 6:30PM | Watch live here

An introduction to the Yorkshire PPL Momentum Accelerator Music Fund, how it supported those making music in 2020, what’s planned for 2021 and top tips on how to get funded!

Guests inc. Leeds-based musician Harkin, Samuel Whiskas – Music:Leeds, Nancy Mills – PPL, Aja Garrod-Prance – RS Foundation

GIG BUDDIES & INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK
THURSDAY 28JANUARY – 8PM | Watch live here

Access can be a huge factor to many people’s nights out – Gig goers need to know if they can get in, artists need to know if they can get on stage, and venues need to know the needs of their audience so that their space can accommodate as many people as possible. This ‘Access All Areas’ Panel is hosted by Gig Buddies and here to discuss what it means for a venue to be accessible for punters and players.

Guests inc. Pete Sparkes – Drake Music Scotland, Nick Stewart – Sneaky Pete’s, Rich Legate – Attitude is Everything.

THE GRASS ROOTS LIVE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM
TUESDAY 26 JANUARY –  5PM  | Watch live here

The challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the live music community more proactively collaborating, sharing ideas and campaigning in a joined-up fashion. How could such collaboration benefit the live music industry beyond COVID and how can it be best achieved? How important is it for the different strands of the live sector – promoters, venues, agents, ticketing companies, tour managers and production crews – to regularly connect and speak as one? Does the live industry need to work closer with the record industry, the music publishers and the artist managers? And how can major players in live music better support the independents?

Guests inc. David Martin – CEO, Featured Artists Coalition, Ellie Giles – Founder, Step Music Management + Board Member MMF, Sybil Bell – Founder, IVW and Yes We Can

ACCESS TO ARTIST AND CULTURE: HOW COVID DROVE LONG OVERDUE CHANGE WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY –  5PM  | Watch live here

The disabled community has been asking for more digital access to arts and education for years. It took COVID and a worldwide shutdown of live entertainment for the industry at large to embrace such a thing. Of the live-streamed shows and platforms that have really gained momentum this year, which are truly accessible to all, and how can the experience be further enhanced? How can we ensure such accessibility is maintained after the pandemic? And equally, how to we ensure that – as the live sector returns to normal but under huge commercial pressures – that the industry remains committed to making venues, festivals and real-world shows as accessible as possible?

Guests inc. Carien Majer – CEO, Drake Music, Jacob Adams – Head of Research And Campaigns, Attitude Is Everything, Ruth Kelly – artist, Ruth Patterson – artist

THE FUTURE OF THE LIVE COMMUNITY
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY –  5PM  | Watch live here

While there may be light at the end of the tunnel as the COVID vaccines are rolled out, the live music industry is currently still in crisis mode. How can the community continue to work together to mitigate the impact as COVID restrictions extend? And looking beyond the pandemic, what will the live industry look like when it returns? What infrastructure, talent and independent live music businesses will the industry have lost? And will the rise of live streaming and other new digital technologies change the live music experience and the live music business forever?

Guests inc. Rev Moose – Managing Partner, Marauder and Co-Founder, NIVA, Ric Salmon, Partner, ATC and CEO, Driift, + more

PREMIERE DOCUMENTARY SCREENING – ON THE ROAD WITH INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK w/ LIVE Q&A HOSTED BY BBC 6 MUSIC
MONDAY 25 JANUARY – 7PM

A documentary filmed with Philip Selway / Radiohead, over two years going to the heart of independent music venues across the country, meeting those who work & play in them.

The feature length film includes interviews with Nick Mason / Pink Floyd, Adrian Utley / Portishead, Fatboy Slim, Nadine Shah, IDLES, Novelist, Richard Hawley, Pip Blom, Big Jeff and more. Filmed on location at independent venues and includes interviews with owners and operators.

Online screening followed by live Q&A w/ Philip Selway / Radiohead, Adrian Utley / Portishead, Dom Fraser / The Boileroom, Rebecca Walker / The Leadmill, Nathan Clark / The Brudenell Social Club, Big Jeff / Bristol, Sybil Bell / IVW Founder + hosted by Matt Everitt / BBC 6 Music.

Tickets are £5.50 and can be purchased here 

QUIZZES

THE INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK QUIZ hosted by Duglas Stewart / BMX Bandits

SATURDAY 30 JANUARY – 5:30PM | Tickets via donation here

All funds raised will go to Help Musicians UK 

INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK MUSIC QUIZ hosted by The Grayston Unity
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY – 8:15PM | Free tickets here