We are still following up with everyone after the amazing IVC launch, there’s been such huge interest and offers of support for our vital work. For those of you unable to make it, here’s a first snapshot of how the day went…

It was fantastic to see so many people from across our community there, especially so many champions from the independent sector; Andy Heath, Martin Mills and Ruth Barlow (Beggars), Adam Driscoll (ATC Group) , Gee Davies (AIM) , Áine Markey (Blue Raincoat), Andy Franks (Music Support), Anna Derbyshire (BMG) Bryan Grant and Mike Low (Britannia Row), Pamela McCormick (UD Music Foundation ), Peter Button (Clintons), Richard Russell (XL Recordings) Sean Goulding and Rob McGee (One Fiinix), Sam Moy (BBC 6 Music) and Dr Claire Mera-Nelson, Sean Kelly, Hannah Deeble and Adrian Cooke (Arts Council England) all turn out for the event which really helped endorse the importance of the work we’re doing, how much it’s needed and the level of support we hope to get.

The room was at full capacity with our amazing community and it felt like such a celebration of what we’ve all done together and what possibilities there are for the future.

We were so excited to announce Brit award winners The Last Dinner Party as our Ambassadors, passionate artist advocates for what independent venues have done and can do for communities all around the country.

I’d like to thank all those who came along and spoke, sharing your thoughts and experiences of being part of the IVC family and of the value of using our venue spaces during the day to deliver our social prescribing programme; Dame Caroline Dinenage MP – Chair, Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, Lord Kevin Brennan, Abigail and Georgia of The Last Dinner Party, Tom Kiehl – CEO of UK Music, YolanDa Brown OBE DL – Owner Soul Mama, Musician, Broadcaster and so much more, JJ Tatten – CEO of The Warren, Wozzy Brewster OBE, FRSA – Founder, Executive Director, The Midi Music Company, Jodie Langford and Sahar Summer – participants of our venn project for Young People, Suzanne Bull MBE – Disability Advocate, Kris Halpin (Dyskinetic) – Musician, Claire Cordeaux – CEO of BAPAM, Big Jeff – Artist, Musician, Gig Goer, Tony Ereira – CEO Come Play With Me, Dom Frazer – Owner, The Boileroom and Liz Price from Future Yard.

I’d also like to thank all of our new Patrons; Ben Lovett – Mumford and Sons and Managing Partner, The Venue Group, Big Jeff – Artist, Music Fan, Musician, Bishi – Artist, Brooke Combe – Artist IVW Ambassador Scotland, Christine Osazuwa – Founder of Measure of Music, David Martin – CEO of the Featured Artist Coalition, Emma Snook – Director of Marketing UK, Partisan Records, Lambrini Girls – Artist, Life – Artist, Nuha Ruby Ra – Artist, Philip Selway – Artist and IVW Ambassador, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Artist, Public Service Broadcasting – Artist, Sara Gleadhall  – Global Motion, Sarah Jones – General Manager, Songkick, Sarah Wilson – Head of Tunecore, UK & Australia, Tasha Gregory – Co-Director Mother Artists, Wozzy Brewster OBE, FRSA – Founder, Executive Director, The Midi Music Company.

Having this level of endorsement from artists and across the industry is not only a privilege but it shows how strongly people feel about our work and what collectively we can achieve.

The day wouldn’t have been possible without our supporters; Adam, Sara and the amazing team at Global Motion, Steph Hardwick of Hardwick & Morris, Tom and the team at UK Music and Estelle Wilkinson. And we wouldn’t have got to this point without the support from Erica and Livia of Bates Wells for their patience and dogged determination with the Charities Commission, Arts Council England who have helped us to evolve IVW, developing new ideas and creative practices every year to respond to the changing environment venues and local communities are going through. Creative Wales, Creative Scotland and Youth Music who have also shared our vision and enabled us to put it into practice as well as BBC Radio 6 Music who share the stories of venues, artists, fans and communities for a whole week on air during IVW at the end of January every year.

I’d like to also thank our Trustees YolanDa Brown OBE DL, Suzanne Bull MBE, Maggie Crowe OBE, Kris Halpin, Steph Hardwick, JJ Tatten, Sam Thompson and Estelle Wilkinson as well as our area reps Adrian Cooke, Claire Hamilton, Hannah Beasley-Garrigan, Jenni Harrison, Joe Leam, Kris Halpin, Martin Moseley, Olive Grinter, Tor Byrnes and Victoria Wai who work with us all around the country helping us reach every village, town and city and the very small team at mission control for both IVC and IVW, Adam We bb who looks after our press with Kitty Lester, Gabby Chelmicka and Liv Bailie. I’m also grateful to Julie Hornsby for BSL signing the event.

I’ve had so many kind messages about how people absolutely loved the day, how representative they found gathering, how positive the event was and how much potential there is for our work.

You can see the video we showed on our website here (created by Kitty Handley) and we’ll be posting more on our social media channels soon.

One thing that I would like state again is that we cannot do this without the support of the industry. I am going to be unapologetic in asking for your support, both financial as well as in kind so we can elevate our programme and keep making a difference to people’s lives all around the country.

Sybil

Founder and CEO