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MVT UK Sets Date For 10th Venues Day
The tenth annual Venues Day, organized by the team of the UK’s Music Venue Trust, will go down Oct. 8 at Woolwich Works in London, England.
MVT represents over 850 grassroots music venues (GMV) in the UK, and has held this one day-event dedicated to them since 2014. Each year, Venues Day brings together venue owners and operators, promoters, agents, artists, representatives of government and 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,” according to a press release from the MVT.
Hundreds of delegates representing venues from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are expected to take part in Venues Day 2024, which is supported by headline sponsors Ticketmaster with support from Fred Perry.
Their support “allowed Venues Day 2024 to offer subsidized delegate passes and travel bursaries to ensure that venue representatives from across the UK can attend,” according to the press release.
Venues Day will provide an “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.”
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This year’s Venues Day forgoes any specific theme, but instead focuses on the 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,” according to the release.
Beverley Whitrick, chief operating officer at the Music Venue Trust, commented, “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.”
Information on speakers, panels and activities at Venues Day 2024 will be announced soon. Tickets for Venues Day 2024 are available here.