Fund reopens after investing £250,000 in grassroots music venues

Amelia Jones

A council fund aimed at protecting grassroots music venues has reopened after distributing more than £250,000 in grants.

The fund is part of Cardiff Council’s Music City strategy, offering Grassroots Venues Fund support to existing venues to make them more financially or environmentally sustainable.

The fund has previously benefitted 20 venues including Clwb Ifor Bach, Porters, Chapter Arts Centre, Paradise Garden, Acapela, Tiny Rebel and The Canopi to make improvements and buy new equipment.

Rob Toogood of Fuel Rock Club on Womanby Street, called the Venues Fund a huge help. He said: “The last round of the Venues Fund enabled us to totally upgrade our stage lighting to a more professional and also energy efficient level. It’s allowed us to give the artists that play at Fuel a much better experience.

“Alongside the lighting, we also were able to upgrade our sound desk to a far more fit for purpose model. This also means that 90% of Cardiff’s grassroots venues now operate the same mixing desk, making things a lot easier for the sound tech community.”

Instrumental support

Tudor Street venue The Canopi says they have also felt  the benefit of Cardiff Music City funding. Julia Harris, who runs the thriving venue, said: “Support from Cardiff Council through the Cardiff Music City Festival has been instrumental in The Canopi’s growth as a grassroots music venue.

“Along with the Grassroots Venues Fund investment in our new digital mixing desk, it has significantly improved the quality of our live programme, enabling us to host national and international touring artists while providing a professional experience for performers and audiences alike.”

“The funding has also given us the confidence and capacity to trial new ideas, experiment with our programming, and take creative risks that would otherwise have been beyond our resources. This has allowed us to test new event formats, champion emerging artists, and respond to the interests of our local community.

“It’s also created more opportunities to employ freelance sound engineers and venue staff, while supporting skills development for the next generation of live event professionals. Overall, it has strengthened The Canopi’s role as an inclusive, innovative venue that contributes to Cardiff’s thriving music scene.”

Essential

Now entering its third year, the Grassroots Venues Fund is part of the Council’s ongoing ‘Cardiff Music City’ work. This initiative sets out to support, protect and develop the city’s music sector.

Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: “Grassroots venues are essential to Cardiff’s music scene – without them there is no scene. But they’re facing the same significant challenges being faced by independent venues across the country, which is why our Grassroots Venues Fund is focussed on supporting improvements that can enhance their long-term sustainability.

“We will continue to look for ways to support the city’s grassroots venues – whether that’s through high profile initiatives like the Cardiff Music City Festival or behind the scenes, but the best way any of us can protect them is to use them. There’s so much brilliant music on offer in Cardiff, it really is worth exploring and you might even discover your next favourite band.”

Applications that create or safeguard jobs, increase venue accessibility, reduce energy consumption and contribute to the economic, social, cultural and environmental wellbeing of Cardiff will also be considered for funding.

More information on the Venues Fund including funding criteria and how to apply are available here.