Aspiring Birmingham music professionals aged 14-20 are being offered the opportunity to learn more about touring and venue management in the lead up to a week celebrating the UK’s live industry.
Independent Venue Week 2016 (Monday 25 – Sunday 31 January), Cato Music and Cato Academy are delivering two workshops in the city aimed at providing an insight into live music touring and production.
The workshops will take place between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 23 January at Access to Music Birmingham (Live Touring Theory) and The Roadhouse Birmingham (Live Music – Practical).
Tutors and venue owners will be on hand to share advice, offer tips on accessing the industry and talk participants through a load-in and soundcheck.
For further information on applying for either workshop, visit the official IVW site.
120 venues across the UK are set to take part in the seven day long Independent Venue Week campaign.
This year’s Ambassadors are Mercury Prize Shortlisted Artist Wolf Alice who take over from Frank Turner (2015) and Colin Greenwood (2014).
“We are proud to be ambassadors of this year’s Independent Venue Week and ask for people’s support so these kind of unique, intimate and sweaty shows continue for everyone to enjoy. Venues that we started off playing along with so many other bands have created some of our funnest memories to date. We’d love for that to continue for us and for other bands, please show your support.” – Wolf Alice
Artists performing during the week include Everything Everything, Matthew E. White, Mallory Knox, Childhood, Misty Miller, Beans on Toast, Eliza and the Bear, Saffron (Republica) Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, Georgia, Get Inuit and Edwyn Collins.
Other curating partners include Rob da Bank and Sunday Best, BBC Introducing, PIAS, Domino Records and The Joe Strummer Foundation with a DJ set from Shikari Sound System.
Going to a gig this weekend? Hate it when other people talk at gigs? So do we. https://t.co/m61qI9xnvE #tunesnotchat pic.twitter.com/LfB6ypvk2d
— Independent Venue Wk (@IVW_UK) January 8, 2016
IVW is partnering with two charities in 2016; Attitude is Everything, the music charity that works with audiences, artists and the music industry to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, and Stay Up Late – creators of a gig buddy scheme linking adults who have a learning disability to a volunteer with similar interests in music, so they can attend gigs together.
“We are very proud to have been involved with Independent Venue Week since its launch and are delighted to be able to support its continued growth once again in 2016. Our members love playing in small live venues and Independent Venue Week’s determination to safeguard their future is a cause very close to our hearts.” – Paul Sims, PRS for Music
West Midlands venues participating in Independent Venue Week 2016 are The Hare & Hounds (Birmingham), The Roadhouse (Birmingham), Queens Hall (Nuneaton), Tin At The Coal Vaults (Coventry) and The Dark Horse (Birmingham).
For further information on Independent Venue Week visit the official IVW site.
