NME is launching a search for Britain’s Best Small Venue with a new campaign to highlight the importance of such venues to bands and music scenes.
As part of the campaign voting is open now at NME.COM/smallvenues for users to vote for the UK small venue they think is the best in the land. You can choose any UK venue with around 500 capacity or less and can also outline why you think it’s the greatest.
Voting closes on May 11, then soon afterwards we’ll announce the shortlist. A panel of artists and experts will then pick one as the overall winner, which will be declared Britain’s Best Small Venue.
NME Editor Krissi Murison said: “We’re not sounding the death-knell for small venues. We’re showing them some love, and we’re encouraging people – whether they be local fans or local councilors – to support these places as much as possible. We can’t continue to see them being closed down.”
The campaign comes after a series of small UK venues including Newport TJ’s, The Point in Cardiff and Leicester‘s The Charlotte have closed down. Pick up a copy of this week’s NME magazine for a wider report and for more on the campaign. It’s on UK newsstands tomorrow (May 4) or available digitally.
Friendly Fires are set to officially kick off the campaign tonight (May 3) with an intimate St Albans show. This week’s NME cover stars will return to their hometown to play The Horn venue for a previously-secret gig in front of a few hundred fans. Check NME.COM tomorrow morning for a report and picture from the gig.
See NME.COM/smallvenues for more information and to vote.
