London’s V&A opens exhibition on Britain’s legendary lost music venues

A new exhibition celebrating Britain’s lost music venues has opened at the V&A South Kensington.

Following a request in May to submit ‘artifacts and musical ephemera’ to complete the collection, the exhibition titled ‘Lost Music Venue’ finally opened today (May 30).

With support from the Music Venue Trust, the V&A collected posters, membership cards, club photographs, band merchandise and subcultural fashion linked to around 50 clubs, concert halls and community spaces across the UK that are currently closed.

In total, more than 150 objects are on display, many of which come from public requests for the aforementioned memorabilia.

Together, these objects trace the history of grassroots and DIY music and culture in the UK, as well as the campaigns launched to save threatened spaces from closure.

The exhibition is organized into four sections, the first of which explores how dance halls and cinemas evolved into purpose-built music venues in the 1980s. Key items include artefacts related to Manchester’s iconic club The Haçienda, Dr. It includes fashion artefacts from brands such as Martens and Converse, and signs from London venues, including Astoria’s original 1985 sign on loan from Damon Albarn.

A lost music venue. Source: David Parry at the V&A

The second part explores the growth of the so-called ‘toilet circuit’ venues during the indie explosion of the 1990s, focusing on grassroots venues such as Moles in Bath, The Charlotte in Leicester and Roadhouse in Manchester.

The exhibition highlights the importance of touring for both artists and audiences, providing an opportunity for musicians to develop their skills and find fans. The display includes a vintage Blur set list, Oasis lyrics handwritten on the tour bus, and former Pulp tour manager Mark Webber’s briefcase.

We also look at how social media changed the way bands like Arctic Monkeys and Coldplay were discovered in the mid-2000s.

We then explore issues that continue to impact grassroots venues today: neighborhood noise complaints, licensing laws, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Music Venue Trust, Northern Ireland’s Free The Night, Leeds-based No Place Left to Play and UK-wide Save Our Scene have all donated artefacts.

A lost music venue. Source: David Parry at the V&A

Finally, the exhibition highlights the evolution of electronic club culture from the 1990s to the present, showcasing HIV and AIDS awareness initiatives, early Banksy exhibitions at Glasgow’s The Arches, and London institutions Plastic People and The End.

“Music venues, whether performance spaces or nightclubs, are not only the lifeblood of the music industry, they are an essential part of the creative sector,” said Harriet Reed, curator of contemporary performance at the V&A South Kensington. “As a venue for experimentation, entrepreneurship and the arts, it nurtures talent and provides an important space for connection and community.”

Admission is free, and more information about the exhibition can be found here.

A lost music venue. Source: David Parry at the V&A

The exhibition comes at a critical time for the UK’s live music sector, as it was recently reported that 30 grassroots venues will have disappeared entirely between July 2024 and July 2025, with more than half of those remaining remaining unprofitable last year alone, with more than 6,000 jobs lost.

We have been pushing for the introduction of a ticket levy in an attempt to support grassroots spaces and help artist touring. This will see smaller venues and emerging talent across the country receive contributions from stadium and stadium performances to ensure their survival.

Pressure is now mounting on the live music industry to make 50% of these shows voluntarily pay by June 2026. Otherwise, the government will step in and make it mandatory by law. Live Nation in particular has been criticized for not participating as much as other companies.

Live Nation, which took on Harry Styles and donated £1 from each ticket to his upcoming Wembley Stadium residency to the LIVE Trust, responded to the criticism by telling NME: “We support artists’ choice to give to charity and have worked with numerous artists who have contributed to the voluntary levy, from Coldplay to Biffy Clyro, and will continue to do so.”

The levy model is similar to that seen in football’s Premier League and has received support from the government in 2024.

The financial burden on grassroots spaces was partly eased at the start of the year when the government made a U-turn on a potentially devastating surge in business costs and offered an additional support package for bars and venues.

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