Bristol’s 200-year-old music venue to build second stage following cash injection

One of Bristol’s oldest music venues is set for a transformation after receiving close to £5,000 in funding. The Louisiana, in Wapping Road, started life as a venue in 1996 when two local promoters requested to use the upstairs space following a fire at the Fleece.

The building has stood for more than 200 years and will now receive a cash injection of £4,855 from Music Venues Trust’s Pipeline Investment Fund to pay for speakers and a new mixing desk. The MVT’s new funding initiative provides grants of up to £5,000 for UK grassroots music venues and helps improve equipment for lighting, sound, access as well as staff training.

The Louisiana owner, Mig Schillace said: “Running a venue, especially one that is over 200 years old, is very expensive. With running costs increasing daily, it means that we no longer have the funds to put aside for reinvestment into projects such as this. The funding received means that we can fit a second stage in the bar area, and will now look to host more weekend events across two floors. This will mean an increase in the amount of artists we can book in to play.”

The Louisiana was one of 11 venues across the country to share almost £40,000 in funding.

Mark Davyd, Founder of Music Venue Trust said: “The Pipeline Investment Fund is proof of what a huge difference relatively small amounts of money can make to local Grassroots Music Venues. Music Venue Trust is investing this money directly into facilities for artists and local music communities improving venues for everyone.

“We’d like to see every stadium and arena show in the country making a small contribution to this fund. Every headline artist should be able to know with confidence that when they reach the top of our industry the impact of their success ripples back to directly support the venues and communities where they launched their career. MVT has created the mechanism to make that possible, we need the music industry to come together and make it happen.”