London, 2nd October 2025
A total of 21 live music agencies will be present at the recently announced Grassroots Networking Day, alongside members the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the Association of Independent Promoters (AIP) and Music Venue Trust (MVT), which are jointly organising the event.
On Tuesday 14 October, bookers and programmers from independent festivals and grassroots music venues, promoters and booking agents will gather at 229 London for a day dedicated to building new relationships and developing alliances to work more effectively together.
The event will offer a structured platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and enhancing professional networks, as well as providing valuable opportunities to interact directly with independent agents.
Agents attending this year’s event include 13 Artists, Alan Bearman Music, Attitude Artists, Diplomats Of Sound, Earth Agency, Free Trade Agency, Heliocentric Entertainment, ITB, K2, Laughing Dog Music, Midnight Mango, Mother Artists, Nearfield Artists, One Fiinix Live, Playpen, Pure, Roam, Runway, Trust, Wasserman, and WME.
The remaining places at the event are reserved exclusively for members of the Association of Independent Festivals, the Association of Independent Promoters and the Music Venues Alliance.
Launched with the backing of Arts Council England, The Grassroots Networking Day has also since gained additional support from Creative Wales and The City Of Belfast to help venues, promoters and festivals attend.
AIF CEO John Rostron said: “The enthusiasm that has been shown from live agencies to engage with the members of AIF, AIP and The Music Venue Alliance is really encouraging. We look forward to a productive day and working together to further nurture the live grassroots eco-system.”
The AIP Board said: “The fact that we have had so many agencies eager to join us at this event shows that there is a real understanding of and appetite for what we are trying to achieve. It’s great to have this level of buy-in to furthering the live experience and business at a grassroots level.”
Music Venue Trust COO Beverley Whitrick said: “We are excited that agents have responded to this opportunity for face to face meetings with grassroots bookers, programmers and promoters. Bringing everyone together under one roof will undoubtedly lead to some exciting new relationships and, most importantly, great gigs for audiences around the country.”
About AIF
The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is the UK’s national not for profit festival trade association representing the interests of 148 UK music festivals, ranging from 500 to 80,000 capacity. AIF member festivals include some of the most successful and innovative festivals in the UK including the likes of GreenBelt, Mighty Hoopla, Deershed, End of The Road, Notting Hill Carnival, Pitchfork London, Field Maneuvers, We Out Here and many more. Find out more at www.aiforg.com.
About AIP
The Association of Independent Promoters (AIP) represents, empowers and provides a vital support network to independent promoters across the UK. The association is made up of more than 150 members across the country, representing thousands of events every year. Through lobbying, education, member support and resource development, AIP gives a voice to grassroots promoters and aims to bring positive change within the wider music sector in the UK by nurturing a vibrant, healthy, representative and sustainable independent scene.
About Music Venue Trust
Music Venue Trust is a UK registered charity which acts to protect, secure, and improve the UK’s Grassroots Music Venues.
Created in January 2014, Music Venue Trust aims to secure the long-term future of GMVs in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, whether they are iconic venues such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, The 100 Club, Band on the Wall, King Tut’s, and Clwb Ifor Bach, or lesser-known venues that are equally important to their geographical or musical community. These venues play a crucial role in the development of British music, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills.
MVT works to gain recognition of the essential role these venues fulfil, not only for artist development but also for the cultural and music industries, the economy, and local communities. The geographical spread of GMVs provides access to live music, for both performers and audience members, in many locations that do not have alternative cultural venues. The charity provides advice to the government, the cultural sector, and the music industry on issues impacting GMVs and is the nominated representative that speaks on behalf of the Music Venues Alliance, an association of venues from across the UK.
Music Venue Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales: Charity Number 1159846
Music Venue Trust (Scotland) is a charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator: Charity Number SC052001
