WHERE ARE THE GIRL BANDS?
Where are the girl bands?
Alternative Spaces Series
With the UK’s return to live music this summer, we want to ensure that gig spaces are as safe and accessible as possible. To do so we are conducting research around the wants and needs of our local community. Informed by this information, we aim to challenge the conventional gig space with a series of events centering safety and representing a diverse body of people on and off the stage, inviting gig goers and local venue owners to question the traditions of gigs. We are working closely with partner organisations that offer diversity and equality consultation, pledges and training to encourage local organisations to improve their approaches.
With this upcoming gig series, we are aiming to rethink and revolutionise the gig space, offering alternatives to live music events - we believe the unvarying format gigs take feeds into the lack of diversity on the scene, and we want to challenge social behaviours in the live music space.Â
We firmly believe music is for everyone, and alternative spaces should be offered to ensure all can attend. We are taking an intersectional approach to these alternative gig proposals, ensuring to listen to the needs of all (especially marginalized groups). Ultimately, we aim to encourage action from our local community, for example in venues reassessing their policies and inspiring others to offer alternatives to mainstream gig spaces.
Safe Spaces Policy:
To ensure that our events provide a safe space for all, we’d like to highlight the following measures in place:
The two main bathrooms are gender-neutral with one men’s bathroom, all signposted.
The venue is accessible to wheelchair users- there are ramps at the front of the building and into the main venue with an accessible gender-neutral bathroom in the back.
Tickets will be kept at low prices with all proceeds going to the artists involved, with the option to donate to Open Door Charity which directly benefits the Bloom Building.
If concessions are needed, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Please note these events are being organised and facilitated in kind and without a budget- we are very grateful to Bloom and wish to show respect for their organisation as far as possible.
Please be respectful to fellow audience members and staff. Harassment or discrimination of any kind, verbal or non-verbal will not be tolerated and will lead to immediate removal from the event.
To ensure your safe arrival and return to and from the venue, we can suggest downloading the safety apps Shake2Safety or Life360. We can also recommend calling the Edinburgh-based hotline ‘Strut Safe’ which is designed for people walking home at night on 0333 335 0026. We will also have a mobile phone switched on throughout the evening to which you can report any safety concerns. DM us for the phone number.If you have any accessibility needs please let us know before the event and we will do our best to accommodate you!
