Get in touch with Sybil on email via sybil@independentvenueweek.com

Sybil Bell is Founder of Independent Venue Week (IVW) and Independent Venue Community (IVC). She announced the launch of Independent Venue Week in November 2013, ahead for its inaugural first week in January 2014. Since then, she has spent years travelling around the country, and the world, meeting amazing people and organisations both within and around venues, many working with various community groups, often in communities that fall outside the mainstream.

As a result of connections made through IVW over the years, Sybil created and launched IVC delivering a range of music-based activity for underserved communities in venues, during the day, throughout the year, across the country.

The program unlocks the potential of venues and the talent of the communities around them, by developing new skills, opening up opportunities to engage with like-minded people to enjoy arts and culture and create greater local community spirit on a national scale.

• 2 truths, one lie: My real name is Sybil. I got deported from Australia. I can make my tongue do a Mexican wave.
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Oran Mor, Glasgow.
• One album everyone should own: Grace Jones – Island Life. Or Fleetwood Mac – Rumours.
• Dream gig line-up: Radiohead/Portishead/Primal Scream (triple headliner), Little Simz, Humphrey Lyttleton
• What three words describe you best: Passionate, Mischievous, Grafter.
• What would be your dream pet: A Springer Spaniel
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: I have a motorbike license.
• Guilty Music Pleasure: M People (reminds me of living in Australia in the early 90’s)
• What would your autobiography be called: ‘Bell End’
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Emma Thompson

Get in touch with Paul on email via paul@independentvenueweek.com

Paul Bridgwater is Independent Venue Week’s Chief Content Officer, bringing with him a wealth of experience as a digital communications strategist. As Editor-in-Chief and Content Director for online music magazine The Line of Best Fit, Paul has been at the forefront of championing new and established artists from around the world, delving deep into the music and cultural scenes around the UK and beyond. In parallel, he’s has a successful career leading digital teams and high profile projects across the non-profit sector, with organisations including UNICEF UK, Samaritans, the Mental Health Foundation, Dementia UK and Soccer Aid.

• Two truths, one lie: I didn’t watch tv for a decade at one point; I survived a bear attack; I drink four expressos before lunch.
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado
• One album everyone should own: Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides by SOPHIE
• Dream gig line-up: Charli xcx, NIN, Rosalia, Tom Waits, Björk, Aphex Twin, Olivier Messiaen, Ninjirachi + a pre-Elon Musk Grimes doing the 2013 Boiler Room DJ set at Richie Hawtin’s villa in Ibiza as an opener
• What three words describe you best? No idea, honestly
• What’s your dream pet? A feral cat (yes, I have one)
• What is something surprising about you that not many people know? I turned down tickets for Kate Bush, Tom Waits and Oasis and I regret two of those decisions.
• Guilty music pleasures? They simply don’t exist
• What would your autobiography be called? He never slept
• Who would play you in a film about your life? Kermit

Get in touch with Adam on email via adam@al1communications.co.uk

Adam is an award-winning PR and communications specialist with his own consultancy, and over 20 years experience of working across music, technology and public policy. He currently works for the likes of the Music Managers Forum and Driift, Act, and leads the highly successful FanFair Alliance campaign that has delivered significant reforms to the highly controversial secondary ticketing market.

• 2 truths, one lie: I have a West Ham season ticket, PJ Harvey once borrowed my guitar lead, I released a happy hardcore banger in 1994.
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Rayleigh, Pink Toothbrush
• One album everyone should own: The Impressions, This Is My Country
• Dream gig line-up: Cleo Sol, LOW, Halsey, Tyler, The Creator, Thee Oh Sees, Cassandra Jenkins (2021 version)
• What three words describe you best: Cup of tea?
• What would be your dream pet: House-trained dog that also walks itself.
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: Wrote a book once.
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Proper unreconstructed hairy metal.
• What would your autobiography be called: It Came From Essex
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Telly Savalas

Get in touch with Victoria on email via victoria@independentvenueweek.com

Victoria has always had an interest in performance art, originally wanting to be a set designer but struggled with the sketching that after attending her first concert and taking in a camera she found her way with photography.

Through listening to her older siblings record collection, she immediately found a love of Fleetwood Mac, especially Stevie Nicks with the song Seven Wonders and through this passion of  music and realising you could ‘be a (music) photographer,’ she realised this was her career goal and has photographed in many North East venues like the Sage in Gateshead to the legendary Cluny in Newcastle as well as the o2, Boiler Shop and the Arena to photographing festivals like The Great Escape in Brighton.

Along with her passion of music, photography and theatre she loves tennis, hockey and artistic gymnastic but very much from a spectators view and when time and money allow she loves to travel having down two backpacking trips to Australia and then New Zealand with trips also around America, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.

• 2 truths, one lie: I bawled uncontrollably meeting Stevie Nicks. I’ve been to ALL tennis grand slams. I was a forward in the school field hockey team.
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado.
• One album everyone should own: Fleetwood Mac – Tango In The Night.
• Dream gig line-up: Fleetwood Mac (Rumours line-up), Eternal (4 piece), Shura, London Grammar, Art School Girlfriend, whenyoung……
• What three words describe you best: Passionate. Over-thinker. Eager
• What would be your dream pet: A cuddly koala.
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: I had a pet mouse…for a week
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Pretty much an open book that my guilty pleasures made me who I am…but I’ll let that be a conversation with you later of who they are!!!
• What would your autobiography be called: Me, myself and (gin and) tea
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Emma Stone or Hilary Swank

Get in touch with Martin on email via martin@independentvenueweek.com 

Currently a director of Cheshire based Venue & Pub Cooperative Weaver Valley Coop and the Director of Northwest West agency and management company Whispering Pines Collective. As well as this I’m the festival co-ordinator for Skeleton Coast and Middlewich Folk N Boat Festivals.

Previous roles include Emerging Talent Programmer at Liverpool Sound City and venue manager at Coda Maine & Debees Music Bar.

Avid gig goer with an unpaid internship as a professional music nerd.

#impostersyndrome

• 2 truths, one lie:played glasto, worked glasto, went to glasto
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Brudenell
• One album everyone should own: John Martyn – Bless The Weather
• Dream gig line-up: Can. The Verve, The Beatles, Bright Eyes, Dirty Mac
• What three words describe you best: Handsome. Pretentious. Artichoke.
• What would be your dream pet: Flying squirrel
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: distant relative of the Peaky Blinders
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Grease 2 Soundtrack
• What would your autobiography be called: The Plastic Scouser
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Peter Dinklage

Get in touch with Tor on email via tor@independentvenueweek.com

Tor Byrnes is DJ Tor da Force, full time promoter, DJ and professional party starter, who has played the biggest festival stages across the UK and Europe – including Bestival, Glastonbury and Boomtown. Tor has carved out a niche in playing a mixture of tour DJ slots, syndicated indie nights and curating emerging band line ups at venues and festivals. After ten years, she has also created her own residencies and brands from scratch, founded female DJ collective Frau DJs and even played an Ibiza Rocks pool party. Founding Independent Promotions company We Broke Free, she constantly strives to bring the best new music to the South Coast. In house promoter for the legendary 60 Million Postcards (recently named best bar in Bournemouth by GQ), she also works with the local student union and curates stages at festivals.

• 2 truths, one lie: I once supported DJ EZ. I get star struck.. I’ve met Debbie Harry.
• One album everyone everyone should own: Patti Smith – Horses
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Royal Albert Hall
• Dream gig line-up (two supports, one main act): Madonna, Britney Spears, Courtney Love.
• What three words describe you best: Wiggly, Sparkly and Busy.
• What is your dream pet: A tiny fluff type thingy. I’m not great with plants, let alone pets, so I’m not allowed.
• What something surprising about you that not many people know: I play Centre for Bournemouth netball club.
• Guilty Music Pleasure: NO SUCH THING, A BANGER IS A BANGER MATE.
• What would your autobiography be called: If you don’t slow down you’re gonna crash.
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Miley Cyrus

Get in touch with Adrian on email via adrian@independentvenueweek.com

Adrian Cooke is Music Relationship Manager for Arts Council England, based in the South East area but with a national role for Contemporary Popular Music. A champion for increased public funding for the rock & pop sector and talent development, Adrian has previous experience in promoting live music, running festivals, record label management and rights licensing.

• 2 truths, one lie: I once performed for Princess Anne, I played drums for The Fall for one gig, I once went on holiday with Delia Smith
• One album everyone should own:  The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit:  oddly, I’ve never been to the Albert Hall
• Dream gig line-up (two supports, one main act):  Joy Division, The Smiths, The Fall
• What three words describe you best: Oh God Really?
• What is your dream pet: Shark
• What something surprising about you that not many people know: I’m actually really nice
• Guilty Music Pleasure: 80s pop probably – Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, A-ha etc. Is that a guilty pleasure?
• What would your autobiography be called: I Told You I Was Right
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Paddy Considine

Get in touch with Claire on email via claire@independentvenueweek.com

Claire started out in the events & programming aspect of the industry, co-founding Bloom Sessions, a youth-led not for profit which aims to encourage and celebrate underrepresented creatives in Yorkshire. Currently, she works as a project coordinator within Launchpad+, a service within the wider Launchpad universe, which supports artists, managers and labels to release their music effectively and maximise their royalty collection. Even so far this year, from January – November 2023, Launchpad+ has worked with 51 artists on over 115 releases.

• 2 truths, one lie: I can do the worm, I am a worm, at any opportunity I’ll whip out a floor-based animal dance move
• One album everyone everyone should own: Hoodies All Summer – Kano
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Vicar Street – Dublin
• Dream gig line-up: Talking Heads, Big Thief, & Kojaque
• What is your dream pet: Tiger shark
• What something surprising about you that not many people know: I don’t have a sense of smell!
• Guilty Music Pleasure: (don’t believe in these!) but I do also probably listen to the Hamilton stage recording every week
• What would your autobiography be called: Hamilton (not that one)
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Jessie Buckley

Get in touch with Jenni on email via jenni@independentvenueweek.com

Jenni is a creative director and fan-building strategist based in Hull, working across the UK. She plays an active role in her region’s music industry development, connecting local talent and skills into national networks. Through her creative house, Pink + Red, she works with artists, professionals, and businesses across the creative industries, including music, to deliver creative media, marketing, and projects, from producing music videos to building digital strategies. Jenni first got involved in live music at 17, pushing flight cases around backstages of venues and gigs, and never looked back, still bringing that same hands-on, DIY passion into everything she does 14+ years later.

• Two truths one lie: I’ve had 10 tattoos, I’ve worked in 11 cities, I’ve lived in 12 houses/flats.
• One album everyone should own: Vol. 3 The Subliminal Verses (or ARTPOP)
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: 924 Gilman Street
• Dream gig line-up: Marmozets, The Gossip, No Doubt
• What is your dream pet: The biggest possible dog
• What something surprising about you that not many people know: I used to work in theatre wardrobe
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Musical Theatre (sorry)
• What would your autobiography be called: Outside the f*ckin’ lines
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Get in touch with Hannah on email via southwest@independentvenueweek.com

Hannah Beasley-Garrigan is an artist manager with 10+ years experience in the electronic music industry. Their extensive career spans event management, artist liaison, and bookings with the likes of Team Love, Bristol Beacon, Field Maneuvers and Bestival. In 2017, they transitioned their focus to artist management, honing skills at Grade and Muise Management alongside established names like Groove Armada, Shygirl, Lyzza, Delilah Holiday, and Lou Hayter.

In 2020, driven by a passion to change the status quo, Hannah founded Repercussion Management, an independent company committed to promoting fairer representation in electronic music. Under this banner, having previously represented Dr Dubplate, they have built a roster that reflects their commitment to authenticity and talent, representing Fiyahdred, Madam X, Tash LC and MC, Tia Talks.
As a queer, disabled, working-class manager, Hannah has encountered many obstacles in their career. It is this intimate understanding that fuels their determination to create a more equitable landscape where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Alongside their work as a manager, Hannah is committed to supporting early career artists and music professionals to level up. They work as an independent mentor and sit on programmes, panels and talks with companies such as Saffron, BIMM and Next Level. They are also a core member of the artist team at grassroots festival Field Maneuvers and South West representative for Independent Venue Week.

• Two truths one lie: I once met the archbishop of Canterbury, I used to be cabin crew, I have an HGV licence
• One album everyone should own: Beverley Glenn Copeland; Keyboard fantasies
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: The White Hotel, Manchester
• Dream gig line-up (two supports, one main act):  Elton john, Ms Dynamite, Jorja Smith  (you can decide the running order)
• What is your dream pet: I already have it, my long dog, Aggy.
• What is something surprising about you that not many people know: My life ambition is to get as many licences as I can
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Armand Van Helden
• What would your autobiography be called: Them with Ven; a complete account of every broken-down van moment
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Josie Gibson from Big Brother

Get in touch with Olive on email via southwales@independentvenueweek.com

Olive Grimidlands@independentvenueweek.comnter is a queer singer-songwriter and independent promoter who curates the Jazz and Folk Night held monthly at Tiny Rebel Cardiff. She has hosted events at other independent venues around Cardiff, creating intimate environments to showcase up and coming artists whose music spans jazz, folk and the in-between.

• Two truths one lie: I have jammed with Jason Rubello, I have had a pint with Lianne La Havas, I have sung for Jamie Cullum
• One album everyone should own:  Tapestry – Carol King
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: The Jazz Cafe in London, don’t know how I still haven’t been
• Dream gig line-up (two supports, one main act): In no particular order because I can’t decide: Joni Mitchell, John Martyn and Adrienne Lenker
• What is your dream pet: I am somewhat destined to become a crazy cat lady and I’m totally okay with it.
• What something surprising about you that not many people know: I have a secret love for really heavy drum and bass
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, but I don’t feel guilty at all
• What would your autobiography be called: A Whole Jar of Olives
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Greta Gerwig, she would perfectly portray my quirks

Get in touch with Claire on email via scotland@independentvenueweek.com

Corinne is based in Glasgow. She has the dream job of every slacker music nerd – record store clerk – and is currently studying for her Masters in Media & Communication at the University of Strathclyde. Corinne has experience in live event coordination & promotion, social media and artist management.

• 2 truths, one lie: Once caused a whole motorway shutdown; left my car on a closed-off road that was getting resurfaced (made it just before the tow truck did); crashed my car in a ditch
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: Bowery Ballroom, NYC
• One album everyone should own: The Replacements – Tim
• Dream gig line-up: Wilco, The Replacements, Thin Lizzy
• What three words describe you best: Very Type B
• What would be your dream pet: A wee family of border terriers
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: September 2026 marks 9 years of me making a playlist of what I’ve been listening to every single month.108 playlists! Never missed a month, never will (kinda sad really)
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Exclusively ‘Stars’ by Simply Red
• What would your autobiography be called: Divine Yammer
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Parker Posey

Get in touch with Kris on email via midlands@independentvenueweek.com

Kris is a disabled artists performing under the name Dyskinetic. A Venn diagram of a one-man-band, a tech experiment, art project and Disability inclusion strategy – he’s in the middle there.

He’s mostly known for playing the MiMu Gloves, a ground-breaking wearable instrument devised by Grammy Award winning musical genius Imogen Heap. With the support of Drake Music he  repurposed this wearable tech to create the context for the world’s first Social Model musical instrument; an instrument that learns and shapes around his physical barriers.

He can’t shape his hand impairments to play the music he imagines on traditional instruments; but with the gloves, even his impaired, dyskinetic hand movements could be meaningful musical choices. He’s taken this work all over the world, performing across Europe, in the US and in Japan. This project has acted as a catalyst for change, amplifying the conversation around music, technology and Disability. Crucially, this conversation has challenged perceptions of what Disabled musicians are capable of.

Working in spaces more aligned with education, science & technology than the music industry, he’s enjoyed an unlikely but incredibly rewarding career so far. He didn’t come here to challenge stereotypes or push boundaries; he had only the simple ambition to share his songs with the world.

Disabling barriers continue to make those traditional routes into the music industry inaccessible to him and others, but have taken him on a magical side quest of radical musical inclusion.

• 2 truths, one lie:
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit:
• One album everyone should own:
• Dream gig line-up:
• What three words describe you best:
• What would be your dream pet;
• Something surprising about you that not many people know:
• Guilty Music Pleasure:
• What would your autobiography be called:
• Who would play you in a film about your life:

Get in touch with Toni on email via midlands@independentvenueweek.com

Toni is a DJ and selector of music with soul at the centre. Toni founded Variations, a Birmingham-based grassroots music series celebrating female and diverse artists and is also co-founder of She Creates, a community-driven initiative supporting women across the creative industries, from art, music and dance to poetry and business in the West Midlands. Through events and creative platforms, She Creates brings women together to connect, collaborate and showcase their work, with a particular focus on breaking down barriers, reducing isolation and creating real opportunities for women whose creative paths haven’t always been straightforward.

Whether behind the decks or creating spaces for others, Toni is all about connecting the creative dots bringing people, sounds and ideas together and championing female and diverse talent along the way.

• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: BBE Store London
• One album everyone should own: Atjazz – Starbase 17
• Dream gig line-up: Joe Claussell, Luke Una, Shy One, Musclecars, Natasha Diggs, Colleen Murphy, Charlie Dark, Jane Fitz
• What three words describe you best: Driven, passionate, connector
• What would be your dream pet; My current pet – Vinny the labradoodle!
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: I grew up in a pub
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Getting Away with it – By Electronic
• What would your autobiography be called: Just One More Project…
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Vicky Mclure

Please be aware our reps are not employed with IVW full time, they have other projects they work on so please be patient waiting for a reply.

Get in touch with Hayden on email via london@independentvenueweek.com

Besides representing London venues for Independent Venue Week, Hayden Merrick is Senior Features Editor for The Line of Best Fit, one of the UK’s leading music publications, where he commissions (and writes) profiles on emerging and established artists. He also writes on a freelance basis for publications and platforms including Bandcamp Daily, Paste, Qobuz, Ticketmaster, and Pitchfork – covering everything from scene reports to album reviews to artist bios to essays on the intersection of activism and DIY music. He lives in the boring part of London and watches a lot of sitcoms.

• 2 truths, one lie: Water is wet; I’m called Hayden; Reform UK have the working classes’ best interests at heart.
• Venue you’ve never been to but want to visit: First Avenue in Minneapolis – one of the oldest, independently owned venues in the US, and spiritual home to Husker Du, The Replacements, etc.
• One album everyone should own: Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians
• Dream gig line-up: Stereolab, Pavement, Sleater-Kinney, Rilo Kiley, Jawbreaker
• What three words describe you best: Pain in arse / alternatively: self-motivated, passionate, principled.
• What would be your dream pet: Arctic sled dog that doesn’t mind British weather or going to gigs.
• Something surprising about you that not many people know: Every November, some friends and I compete in a challenge to see who can listen to the most albums before the month is out. We give each album a rating and one-sentence review and then cry ourselves to sleep. I won in 2023 with 202 albums.
• Guilty Music Pleasure: Punk songs that use that super-fast gallop drum beat the entire time and wrap within two minutes.
• What would your autobiography be called: Expert In a Dying Field
• Who would play you in a film about your life: Let’s go Michael Cera