London will soon be filled with live music and creative collaboration as the three-day international music festival and conference, VENUExVENUE, returns for its third year.
The event brings together independent artists, industry professionals, and fans.
One wristband gives attendees full access to live shows, the opening and closing parties, and the daytime conference sessions.
The event is leveraging London’s status as a UNESCO City of Music to position itself as a meaningful hub for artists.
VENUExVENUE is organized by Indie Week, a company founded by Daryl Hurs, who originally launched the Indie Week Festival in Toronto more than 20 years ago.
Hurs said the event has grown from a local showcase to an international gathering.
“The first year was just London artists performing. And then the second year was Ontario artists performing. And this year we’ve opened it up internationally,” he said.
The festival includes a two-day conference on Nov. 7 and 8, focused on artist development and building sustainable careers.
The conference will feature workshops on marketing, grant writing, performance, and one-on-one mentorship opportunities with industry professionals.
“We try to make introductions. We try to encourage collaboration, connection,” Hurs said. “It’s an interesting time for artists. And the biggest thing is, how can they have a sustainable career? Because it is tough at times. So we’re trying to help move that along for people.”
Red Banzino (Source: instagram.com/redbanzino/)
Among the 53 artists performing this year is Red Banzino.
Red’s music blends dark R&B and alternative rap with what he describes as a “late night vibe.”
Red said his sound draws on influences from artists such as The Weeknd and Chase Atlantic, and often comes from a deeply introspective place.
“It all comes from a subconscious place,” he said. “So it’s spiritual in a way, but more about expressing and engaging with our shadows of ourselves.”
Performing at VENUExVENUE, he said, is an exciting opportunity to grow his career.
“It feels really awesome to be part of such a big event, especially in London,” he said. “Being a part of VENUExVENUE and being able to perform and network with a bunch of other artists and other people in the industry is really crazy.”
He said the experience of performing in such a collaborative environment is something he values deeply.
“It’s kind of empowering as an individual to take the art that you’ve made and spent time and sweat and tears and being able to share with other people who are doing the same thing,” Red said.
VENUExVENUE runs Nov. 6 to 8 across 7 venues, including the TAP Centre for Creativity, Rum Runners, and Honey Dip.
