Celebrating grassroots venues Through gigs like Jack Rocks, Jack Daniel’s supports grassroots programmes. These important spaces face multiple threats, from licensing and planning to rising property prices. But steps are being taken to protect and develop these venues by the Music Venue Trust, whose Grassroots Investor project is part of a long-term strategy.
‘With nearly 40% of our grassroots venues disappearing in the last five years, it has now become more important than ever to preserve and protect our remaining spaces,’ says Gary Prosser of Music Venues Trust. ‘Without these venues, artists like Coldplay and The Stone Roses would never have had a platform to grow into the arena bands they are today.’
For Gary, grassroots venues are not only important for rtant for the music scene in the UK but also for the wider arts er arts industry. ‘Great British music should have exceptional, eptionalal,, world class facilities;
that’s what audiences deserve and it is what artists deserve,’ Gary explains. ‘We’d like to see a major investment programme across five years, supported by government and the music industry, to really give our grassroots music venues a boost. Sensible investment like this could really produce incredible economic, social and cultural results.’ Jack Daniel’s was the Grassroots Investor project’s first key partner, and through Jack Rocks they’ve pledged to support independent bands, venues and promoters all over the UK. Each Jack Rocks gig is carefully curated to make sure that the country’s grassroots music scene can continue to thrive for years to come – and we’ll raise a glass to that.
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