Radiohead’s Philip Selway backs Independent Venue Week 2023

Radiohead drummer Philip Selway has been announced as the first ambassador of Independent Venue Week (IVW) 2023.

Organisers said more than 200 venues had signed up for the initiative, and the ambition is to expand that to 300 ahead of the 30 January to 5 February show series. Selway will play five gigs during the week.

The initiative, which was created to support and promote grassroots music and arts venues, has won support from Arts Council England, BBC Radio 6 Music, Creative Scotland, See Tickets, Mercury Prize Ltd and PPL. Organisers said that since IVW was launched in 2014 more than 1 million tickets have been sold for its shows.

Selway said, “This past decade has seen IVW do incredible work in supporting and nurturing this vital musical community of independent venues. For me, these venues are the lifeblood of music in the UK, and after the great challenges they’ve faced these past few years, I’m excited to represent them in this way.”

Further IVW Ambassadors, representing Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be announced in coming weeks.