The next edition of AVA London is fast approaching – it takes place on Thursday, March 20 to Saturday, March 22.
Billed as three days and nights of music, culture & visual art, the event across multiple venues features FKA Twigs, Jarvis Cocker, Underworld, Annie Mac, Aftersun music supervisor Lucy Bright, Bengi Ünsal (ICA London), Luke Kemp (Barbican), Doctor Aleema Gray and Dan Lambert (Kneecap management), and many more.
Here, Sarah McBriar, founder & creative director of AVA & UP Productions, highlights the power of connection and collaboration brought through festivals, clubs and cultural spaces – and argues that recognising their potency could innovate the UK & Ireland’s creative industry…
In an era dominated by data, key performance indicators and reports detailing club and festival closures, it’s easy to lose sight of the foundation and real reasons why physical cultural spaces exist. The numbers highlighted by certain campaigns can paint a bleak picture – rising costs, declining venues, and a struggling ecosystem – but they don’t tell the full story.
I’m not here to dismiss the economic challenges. At AVA, we’ve faced them firsthand. But what I’ve also witnessed over the last 12 years is something that statistics fail to capture: the enduring power of music, culture and human connection. Culture shouldn’t just survive – it should evolve and reinvent – and cultural spaces and environments make this possible.
The Power of Connection
Music and art are more than entertainment; they’re reflections of our time, evoking emotion, fostering relationships, and sparking ideas. Festivals, clubs, and cultural venues provide the environment for this to happen. They create spaces where people from all walks of life connect, collaborate, and innovate. And yet, these spaces, particularly independent ones, are under threat.
Rather than focusing solely on statistics, let’s shift the conversation to why these spaces matter and how we can reimagine their future.
1. Culture Breaks Down Barriers
Growing up in Belfast, I witnessed firsthand how music and culture could bridge divides. Post-Troubles, while physical barricades came down, mental and societal divisions remained. Yet, in clubs, festivals, and cultural venues, those divides dissolved. Punk and dance music played a crucial role in unifying people across fractured lines, creating shared experiences that transcended history and politics. The value of these spaces in fostering inclusivity cannot be overstated.
2. Collaboration Drives Innovation
At our next AVA London event from Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd March, we will bring together some of the brightest creative minds and cultural enthusiasts - from FKA Twigs to Jarvis Cocker and many more artists and industry professionals – to discuss and shape the future of our industry. By day, ideas will be exchanged; by night, they will come to life on the dancefloor with cutting-edge electronic shows as their backdrop. Creating spaces for these connections will push the boundaries, create connections between cross-art forms and help shape the future of our creative industries. These varying spaces aren’t just for entertainment - they are incubators of creative ideas, exchanges between artists and audiences, the forefront of culture innovation.
The UK is consistently ranked among the top 10 countries for creativity and innovation (Global Innovation Index 2024). As AI starts to reshape industries, creativity will become an even greater superpower – something AI cannot replicate. I asked Google AI, “Can AI be creative?” The response? “Yes, AI can be creative but it’s not the same as human creativity.” That’s exactly the point – true creativity is human. It requires interaction, friction and inspiration, which thrive in real-world cultural spaces.
Culture shouldn’t just survive – it should evolve and reinvent – and cultural spaces and environments make this possible.
Sarah McBriar
3. The Dancefloor as Therapy
Beyond creativity, these spaces serve another fundamental role: release. Life is tense. Dancing is a way to shake off that tension. Movement changes mental states. Whether you call it escapism or community, the dancefloor provides a space for healing - an often-overlooked but vital function of music culture.
4. Artists Need Audiences to Thrive
The irony of the digital age is that while music is more accessible than ever, artists still rely on physical spaces to grow. Streaming can’t replace the energy of a live audience, and without venues, clubs and festivals, emerging talent has nowhere to develop. The industry often forgets this fundamental truth: music culture starts with live connection.
5. Rethinking the Business Model
With alcohol consumption declining, clubs that rely on bar sales need to adapt. The rise of daytime events – like Annie Mac’s Before Midnight and Printworks’ 1-11pm format prior to its closure – shows that nightlife isn’t confined to the night. The clubbing model can evolve beyond alcohol-driven revenue through partnerships with brands, community groups and new business strategies.
6. A Culture Born from Need
Clubs didn’t start as commercial ventures; they emerged because people needed them. In the 1840s, New York’s McGlory’s and the Haymarket thrived on vaudeville and live music. In 1920, Kate Meyrick, an Irishwoman in London, opened the 43 Club as a sanctuary for music and dance. The UK’s longest-running club, The Acapulco in Halifax, has operated since 1961 – not because of government funding or strategic planning, but because people sought spaces to escape, connect, and celebrate life.
The Path Forward
Statistics may tell us where we are, but they don’t dictate where we go next. The future of clubs, festivals, and cultural spaces depends not only on financial strategies but on a deeper recognition of their role in society. If we acknowledge their value - not just as businesses but as essential spaces for human connection – we can protect and evolve them for generations to come.
Less statistics. More connection. More collaboration. That’s the way forward.
