We are over the moon to announce our brand new board of experts, drawn from across the music business, who will help guide the project into its second decade.
The inaugural board of Independent Venue Week Ltd is as follows:
Claire Courtney, Co-Founder, Earth Music Agency
Dom Frazer, Director, The Boileroom
Natasha Gregory, Co-Founder, Mother Artists
Sarah Jones, General Manager, Songkick
Ben Lovett, CEO & Founder, The Venue Group
David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition
Christine Osazuwa, Chief Strategy Officer, Shoobs
Adam Webb, PR consultant and campaign manager, FanFair Alliance
Our founder, Sybil Bell, said:
“Having celebrated 10 years of IVW in 2023, we decided it was high time to shake up our organisation and structures, get back to our roots, and ensure we can continue to deliver the maximum impact for our community. The new board will be pivotal to that process, and I’m delighted we’ve attracted such a diverse and experienced group, including venue owners, booking agents and technology specialists. Collectively, their input and expertise will be invaluable to IVW’s future.
Fundamentally, Independent Venue Week is a celebration of the non-corporate spaces that underpin our musical culture. Wherever they are situated, we want to boost any venue that provides a stage for the next emerging subculture, the next exciting artist, the next industry professional and the next entrepreneur. The unsung heroes who run and work in these places are the foundation of the UK’s music business.”
Ben Lovett, CEO & Founder, The Venue Group commented:
“I don’t think I can ever fully articulate how deeply I believe in the independent music industry. I don’t see it as a competition or challenge to the major or more corporate players, in fact I think they also need to exist and thrive. My point is that artists and fans should have choice and options about where and how we experience live shows and by doing that we will retain diversity across the arts. That’s so important. I’ve known Sybil for years and I think she’s continuing such a great thing, celebrating the people who dedicate their lives to creating and curating these magical spaces all over the country.”
Natasha Gregory, Co-Founder, Mother Artists added:
“Every Artist we build live from the ground up, starts with independent venues. It’s the ‘seed’ the ‘root’ for this industry’s growth and sustainability. If we don’t keep tending to the very core of what makes this industry thrive, we are in big big trouble. I am proud to be a voice in reminding everyone about the immediate importance to support in whichever way we can. I see the real heroes of this industry and am grateful for everything that Sybil and her team and the community of independent venues do daily.”
