The Swansea Arena House Party: Uniting For Music With Music Venue Trust

Swansea Arena proudly announces the ‘The Swansea Arena House Party’, an electrifying event that sees them join forces with Music Venue Trust (MVT) to champion the local music scene. This House Party, set to rock the heart of the city, is more than just a celebration; the announcement marks the launch of a ground-breaking partnership aimed at preserving and elevating Grassroots Music Venues regionally.

In this partnership, the Swansea Arena has united with MVT, and in doing so has become the first Arena-scaled venue to work hand-in-hand with the charity to affirm a shared commitment to the preservation of Grassroots Music Venues and the nurturing of the local music community. Collaboration is the key, signifying a shared vision and mission to make a lasting impact on the local cultural landscape.

Lisa Mart, Venue Director, Swansea Arena

“The Grassroots Music scene in Swansea has always had an incredible reputation, and despite the potential barrier of our gold façade, the venues have consistently welcomed us and been open to collaboration. We have been so grateful for this support and have partnered with Music Venue Trust to give back in a meaningful and lasting way.

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. We feel really privileged to be part of the Swansea music scene, and this particular focus is a passion project for the whole team.

Linking in with University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to deliver the event is also an important strand – nurturing the next operational team to take over from us! We are grateful to them for their support in this delivery and hope the students get as much out of it as we will. We hope all the music lovers of Swansea will get behind this initiative”

The flagship event within the partnership’s first year, the Swansea Arena House Party, isn’t just a gig; it’s a commemoration of the two-year anniversary of the venue’s original test events, which drew a remarkable 2750 attendees. This event highlights the venue’s dedication to the local community through the spirit of cultural place-making, while highlighting the outstanding talent that Swansea, as well as Wales more widely, has to offer.

The annual Swansea Arena House Party aims to raise £20,000 this year to support MVT‘s mission of preserving Grassroots Music Venues, with a further aim to scale the event up as the years go by. Tickets for the event are available for just £10 and can be purchased directly through the venue with no fees attached. All proceeds from ticket sales, as well as additional voluntary donations on forthcoming announced music events, will contribute to reaching this fundraising target. MVT have further agreed that funds raised by Swansea Arena will be primarily pipelined into Grassroots Music Venues within the SA postcode area.

Jordan McGuire, Venue Owner, The Bunkhouse

“Swansea Arena’s collaboration with the local grassroots music scene is nothing short of ground-breaking, as it not only amplifies the vibrant energy and talent of the music community in the Swansea Bay area but also nurtures the very essence of artistic growth.

In this symbiotic relationship, the arena becomes more than just a national large scale arena; it becomes a dynamic hub that celebrates the diversity, creativity, and boundless potential of the local music scene, forever leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. I don’t know any other arena in the country that has the relationship that Swansea Arena does with the grassroots scene within its city, and long may they continue to support our cause of upcoming musicians.”

A captivating lineup of local emerging artists, thoughtfully selected by Swansea Arena’s Creative Learning Producer, James Morgan, promises to provide these musicians with a unique platform to perform for a sizeable audience. This event aims to “raise aspirations” and grant these emerging stars the recognition they truly deserve. Headlined by Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, with support from the likes of Kikker, The Fiends, Pseudo Cool, Mojo Jnr., Monet, Grey FLX, and Rainyday Rainbow, the lineup exemplifies the rich and diverse musical tapestry of Swansea and South Wales, making the House Party a celebration of the region’s creative essence. The festivities will go on throughout the day, for all ages, with more information being released in the coming weeks and months.

This House Party marks the launch of an enduring partnership between the two organisations, as well as with local Grassroots Music Venues (GMV), The Bunkhouse, Elysium, Hangar 18 and Sin City, which promises an array of exciting opportunities and events in the future. Following the recent news from 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.

Beverley Whitrick, COO, MVT

“We are hugely grateful to Swansea Arena for being the first arena to commit to the concept of a direct link between arena tickets sold and support for the GMV sector. It delivers a strong message that everyone working in the live music industry has a role to play in ensuring that Grassroots Venues, artists, staff and crew are recognised as an essential element of our ecosystem which must be respected, supported, and developed. 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.”

Alongside this collaboration, a local GMV working group and community partnership will be established to jointly promote and support the creative music scene in Swansea. The group will be working to incorporate other venues from within the city into this group over time to further broaden the voice of the partnership.

Students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) are playing a pivotal role in the creative process, collaborating closely with the Arena’s teams to develop, market, and ensure the success of the event. This partnership underscores the importance of nurturing the next generation within the creative industries, with students from various UWTSD departments, including tourism, music tech, and art and media, actively participating in this exciting venture.

For more information, please visit www.swansea-arena.co.uk.