Independent Venue Week announces 2021 return

Returning for its eighth consecutive year, Independent Venue Week will be back in 2021, with its annual seven-day celebration of independent music venues around the United Kingdom!

With Arlo Parks announced as the 2021 ambassador, IVW will take place from Monday 25th January - Sunday 31st January.

“I feel blessed to have been chosen as Independent Venue Week Ambassador,” Arlo says. “Independent venues are the backbone of live music and I’m determined to help to support and protect these national treasures.”

Sybil Bell, founder of Independent Venue Week, adds, “We are fully aware that as we announce plans for Independent Venue Week 2021, there is still uncertainty about what will be possible across the week even with less than 2 months to go. And we are acutely aware that there are still some venues fighting for their survival. It’s hugely important to us that we are sensitive to everyone in our community and where they are at, as we announce our plans.

“We have spoken to lots of our venues since lockdown started in March as well as partners we work with who make shows happen, and very early on, so many people asked us to make sure Independent Venue Week went ahead and that it was needed now, more than ever.

“More recently, much of our community have been looking at ways to make Independent Venue Week work for them and it’s been heartwarming to see so many people approach us with ideas about how they want to get involved.

“It’s clear Independent Venue Week won’t be the usual 7 days of hundreds of shows with 3 artist bills this year but this presents us with opportunities to dig deeper and hear from a whole range of people and organisations about their role in grassroots live music, often from those who are behind the scenes.

“We will start to get a clearer picture of specific activity as January comes around – it’s hard for lots of people to plan too far ahead in terms of what can be done live physically and what will need to be done digitally. But we are so pleased to have the venues signed up we do, and excited to see the shows that are already on sale.

“What is very clear is that everyone we’re speaking with, ourselves included, want to kick off 2021 with a sense of optimism and to look to the future in a positive way.”