Music Venue Trust announce 'Venues Day 2024'

22 July 2024 - Press release

10th Anniversary Edition will Focus on Artists & Celebrate the Grassroots Music Venue Movement

Music Venue Trust (MVT) has announced details of the 10th anniversary edition of its annual ‘Venues Day’ event, which will take place at Woolwich Works in London on Tuesday 8th October.

MVT, which represents over 850 UK grassroots music venues (GMVs), has held this one day event for the sector since 2014, with representatives attending from venues, promoters, agents, artists, government departments, funding bodies and a wide range of ancillary service providers. It is the largest gathering of GMV professionals in the world and represents the single biggest opportunity to engage with the sector as it is designed specifically for members of the Music Venues Alliance.

Hundreds of delegates from across the UK’s grassroots music venue (GMV) sector,
representing venues throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to take part in this celebration of the grassroots music venue movement.

Headline sponsors Ticketmaster with support from Fred Perry have also allowed Venues Day 2024 to offer subsidised delegate passes and travel bursaries to ensure that venue representatives from across the UK can attend.

As always Venues Day will provide the opportunity for the sector to reflect on progress made over the previous 12 months and the challenges that are still being faced, with the event offering numerous networking opportunities and the chance for delegates to share information and discuss the issues affecting their businesses.

Eschewing a specific ‘theme’ this year Venues Day will instead focus on the broader importance of artists to the sector; an acknowledgement that GMVs exist to inspire artists, nurture them, connect them with audiences and offer a safe space for experimentation and new work.

Beverley Whitrick, Chief Operating Officer at Music Venue Trust said, “As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Venues Day there is much to reflect on and much to look forward to. This year we want to recognise and celebrate the artist community without whom we wouldn’t exist and for whom we continue to strive and we look forward to welcoming our colleagues from grassroots music venues around the UK. Venues Day is always an opportunity for us all to meet old friends, share experiences and remind each other that whilst we have all had to endure some very dark days and weather some major storms in recent years we are still here, we are still strong and we remain defiant.”

Further information on speakers, panels and other activities at Venues Day 2024 will be announced in the near future.

Tickets for Venues Day 2024: The 10th Anniversary Edition are now available here