Music / grassroots
Venue hosts day of radical conversation to shake up music industry
The team at the Jam Jar are on a mission to reimagine the music industry.
The first programme launched under their industry demystification project, the New School, provides paid placements to help early career music promoters gain experience.
Now the respected grassroots venue in St Jude’s has announced a day of panel talks that they’re calling an opportunity for ‘radical conversation and cultural visioning’.
Lifting the Lid will bring together the people who shape the scene to talk openly about the realities of the industry including money, culture, collaboration, challenges and the future of the grassroots music industry.
“This is a unique opportunity for voices of the industry to connect over important issues,” said Adam Crawford, aka ASBO Disco, co-founder of the New School.
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Taking place on January 14, the event promises to get the new year off to a bracing start by grappling with big questions around systemic change, cultural responsibility and the future of live events.
Panellists of artists, promoters and cultural creators including poet and MC Rider Shafique, DJ Lexx, curator of Soft Butch, Big Team’s Jazpa and Aysha of Bristol Ballroom will explore who controls culture, what sustainable careers in a precarious industry look like and how to build lasting communities.
Jam Jar, nominated for an award in the music category of Bristol Legends, and the New School are encouraging decision makers, emerging voices and curious newcomers to attend to share insights, voice their thoughts and contribute to systemic change through “conversations that too often get silenced, sidelined or swept under the rug.”
The Jam Jar, a medium size grassroots venue in St Jude’s, has grown over the last decade from a DIY project to a well respected music programmer that has managed to maintain its independent outlook and inclusive ethos
Aysha Tailor-Whyte, who leads on the New School programme with Crawford, explained why these talks represent a radical departure from the status quo structures that shape the music industry:
“Unlocking the industry means opening doors to those who aspire to be part of it, those who’ve been blocked from progressing, and those still searching for their place,” they said.
“Lifting the Lid is about speaking the unspoken, confronting the systems that hold people back, and sharing the lessons newcomers are often left to struggle through alone. We’re talking about surviving on your craft, turning vision into reality, and driving transformation beyond representation.
“The New School isn’t just about imparting skills, it’s about bringing leaders and newcomers together to envision how the industry would look if it operated for everyone to thrive.
“By putting these conversations front and centre, we aim to inspire both immediate and long‑term action, so the next generation can build careers they love within a landscape rooted in transparency, integrity, and collaboration.”
Find all information and tickets at headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/jam-jar/wed-14-jan-the-new-school-panel-talks-lifting-the-lid-on-the-music-industry
Main image: the Jam Jar
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