A New Venue for Emerging Artists
An alternative music festival has introduced a new grassroots music venue to provide a platform for up-and-coming bands to perform live. Room 2, an 100-capacity venue located in Leeds, is set to open on April 3. This new space is situated within The Key Club, a pre-existing 300-capacity venue in Leeds that is managed by the founders of the pop punk festival, Slam Dunk.
Initially, the room was used for alternative club nights. However, after Mia Jackson and Sav Bowskill, who both work at Slam Dunk Ltd, identified a gap in the market for smaller, alternative venues in Leeds, they proposed converting the space into a proper gig area.
For the launch party on April 3, the bands Different State, Lomens, and Until Joy will perform, with tickets priced at £5.50. Two additional gigs are already scheduled for April 10 and April 24. The venue also provides sound equipment—known as backline—so that younger bands can simply bring their instruments and play without having to spend thousands on extra gear.
Sav shared:
‘We decided to launch it because we want to support local artists who want to get into the alternative scene where opportunities are dying out, with venues closing and rising costs.’
‘We also want to showcase marginalised genders and queer artists, giving those people a lift up and head start as well, because they’re important to the scene.’
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Mia added:
‘It’s a really difficult time to be in bands at the moment and we just wanted to make an active change in this. An 100 capacity venue is perfect because it’s still intimate, but for a smaller band, 100 people is a lot of people.’
‘We’re trying to make the gigs as cheap as possible,’ Mia said. ‘The highest price at the moment we have is £7 for a four-band bill.’
Challenges Facing Grassroots Music Venues
Earlier this year, the industry body Music Venue Trust published its annual report for 2025, which highlighted that despite contributing more than half a billion pounds to the UK economy, 30 grassroots music venues have permanently closed over the past year, with 6,000 (19.8%) roles cut—the sharpest drop since the trust began collecting annual data.
Last year, the government released the Creative Industries Sector Plan, which outlined investment worth £30 million to go towards grassroots spots across the country and mentoring opportunities for emerging talent. However, the Music Venue Trust has cited the UK Government’s changes to national insurance and business rates as a factor that has caused many venues to struggle over the past year and has proposed plans to help inject more money and support into the sector.
Personal Experiences and Future Goals
Greg Counsell, lead singer from the band The Maple State, shared his experience of finding a suitable venue for his band’s 20th anniversary last year.
‘It was such hard work trying to find a venue available on the dates we were intending to play,’ he said. ‘The number of people I called and they’d just say “This place has gone, that place has gone.” It was devastating. I feel like we’re fishing in an ever-decreasing pond.’
Greg added that he thought the Room 2 venture was ‘fantastic.’
‘100 capacity is exactly what I wanted last year. I wanted to get 100 people in a room and just play to them. That’s the most punk rock size for a room,’ he added.
Ben Ray, Director of Slam Dunk Ltd, commented:
‘We have created a space within our existing venue to make a smaller performance space to give local bands more opportunities for their first gigs and help them build their fan base. Hopefully they’ll then go onto much bigger things, and could one day play at Slam Dunk.’
Conclusion
Room 2 represents a positive step forward for emerging artists in Leeds, offering a supportive environment for growth and development. With its focus on affordability, inclusivity, and community support, the venue aims to fill a critical gap in the local music scene. As the challenges facing grassroots music continue, initiatives like Room 2 highlight the importance of creating sustainable spaces for future talent.
