Joe GallopAmbassador Theatre Group’s (ATG) Swansea Arena has partnered with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) to host the ‘The Swansea Arena House Party’ – an event that sees it become the first arena-scaled venue to work hand-in-hand with the charity.
The annual Swansea Arena House Party aims to raise £20,000 this year to support MVT’s work in preserving grassroots music venues, with a further aim to scale the event up in future years.
The event, which takes place on 24 February 2024, will be a commemoration of the two-year anniversary of the arena’s original test events, which drew 2,750 attendees.
All proceeds from ticket sales, as well as additional voluntary donations on upcoming music events, will contribute to reaching the fundraising target. MVT has further agreed that funds raised by Swansea Arena will be primarily pipelined into grassroots music venues within the SA postcode area. Tickets for the event are available for £10 and can be purchased directly through the venue with no fees attached.
Emerging talent
A lineup of local emerging artists for the event has been selected by Swansea Arena’s creative learning producer James Morgan. With headliners yet to be announced, the lineup aims to “exemplify the rich and diverse musical tapestry of Swansea and South Wales”.
Local grassroots music venues The Bunkhouse, Elysium, Hangar 18 and Sin City will also work with the two organisations as part of the partnership. Following Ticketmaster, The Piece Hall and Cuffe & Taylor, Swansea Arena will also be implementing a £1 charity upsell option for all ticket purchases throughout the year for music events at the venue, with the option to increase the charitable donation going forward.
Students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) are playing a role in the creative process of the upcoming event.
Alongside this collaboration, a local grassroots music venues working group and community partnership will be established to jointly promote and support the creative music scene in Swansea.
Swansea Arena venue director Lisa Mart said, “Our goal is to establish a lasting legacy in the city, supporting and nurturing the already thriving local music scene. We aim to see artists progress through our venues, all the way up to the stadium. It’s not just about writing a big cheque (though we hope to do that); it’s about fostering enduring relationships, sharing resources, solving problems, engaging in creative projects, and, most importantly, celebrating our shared love for live music on stages of all sizes, free from the threat of rising costs.”
MVT CEO Beverley Whitrick said, “We hope many more arenas will feel able to follow Swansea’s example. A resilient and sustainable grassroots sector is important to all of us that love live music and want to see it continue and to thrive.”