We are delighted to announce that Music Venue Trust will return to sponsor the Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene category at the Music Week Awards.
Following this year’s record-breaking event, our ceremony will be moving to a new venue and date in 2024: JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, on Thursday, May 2.
The Music Week Awards remains the biggest night in the industry calendar and the only ceremony that recognises the best of the best across the music business.
Decided by a public vote, the Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene category is open to any grassroots venue with a capacity of less than 500, located in the UK. For this category we are looking for nominations from others, as well as entries from venues themselves.
Last year, the award was won by Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. Previous winners include The New Adelphi, Hull, and The Forum, Tunbridge Wells.
All entries for the Music Week Awards 2024 can be made here – the deadline is 6pm on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
The Spirit Of The Scene Award isn't about bigger, better or best, it's about recognising a venue that stands up for the values of the grassroots sector
Mark Davyd, Music Venue Trust
The Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene is a crucial category, especially coming on the back of a year which has just seen much turmoil in the sector. Earlier this month, Moles in Bath, one of the most long-established grassroots venues, filed for insolvency. The 220-capacity venue said that the rise in costs and overheads and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis have made it impossible to continue. Moles has, sadly, permanently closed its doors with immediate effect.
Speaking about the partnership, Mark Davyd, CEO at Music Venue Trust, said: “Music Venue Trust is delighted to partner once again with the Music Week Awards to ensure that the vital work of talent development and community music building performed by the UK's grassroots music venues forms a part of this very special annual event. The Spirit of the Scene Award isn't about bigger, better or best. It's about recognising a venue that stands up for the values of the grassroots sector and represents the positive role that so many of these venues play in our towns and cities.”
In the latest issue of Music Week, Mark Davyd talks us through the highs and lows of the grassroots music sector throughout 2023.
In October, Music Venue Trust announced the first acquisition under its #OwnOurVenues scheme. The Snug in Atherton, Greater Manchester, a 100-capacity venue, became the first grassroots music venue purchased by Music Venue Properties (MVP), the independent Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS), created by Music Venue Trust to progress its plans to revolutionise cultural ownership in the UK.
For information about sponsorship opportunities at the Music Week Awards 2024, please contact lawrence.cooke@futurenet.com for more information.
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