Let us know who you loved hearing during your #IVW26... Tag them below so we can all have a listen together 💛

Happy Monday 💛 We want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible people working behind the scenes at #IVW26. From the bar staff and stage managers to the sound techs, door staff, volunteers and everyone else who made it happen, thank you for everything you did to keep the shows going. 🙌

Who else was lucky enough to catch Wu-Lu, MAHA and Louis Carnell tear it up at The Dome? 🙌 All part of the amazing series of shows from Beavertown Beer for #IVW26 💛
Stunning photos by Talie Rose Eigeland

We’ve loved hearing what you've had to say about being part of #IVW26.
Thank you for continuing to champion our independent venues and community.
Here’s to the next one. 💛
#IVW26

#IVW26 Shot On 35mm Film. 📸 Take a look back at some of our gigs through the eyes of some of our amazing photographers 🙌

A huge shoutout to the legends behind the bar who kept the drinks flowing all week long during #IVW26. We couldn’t do it without you. Here’s to the bar staff who keep our venues and our communities thriving. 💛 🙌

This is what it’s all about 💛 Real words from the venues at the heart of #IVW26 celebrating the buzz, the breakthroughs and the community that brings it all to life ✨

Looking back at our incredible #IVW26 Ambassador shows 💛
Brogeal packed out The Venue, Dumfries with electric energy, Nova Twins returned to tear the roof off the The Amersham Arms, + Eve Goodman painted the walls of Caffi Isa with her tender, soulful voice. Independent venues. Unforgettable nights.

Nothing makes us prouder than hearing this 💛 Here’s what some of our incredible venues had to say about being part of #IVW26 The community, the energy, the magic ✨

Some more beautiful photos from #IVW26 taken by our fab team of photographers. ✨

Instagram Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

Remember how I photographed & repped 9.5 gigs in 11 days for #IVW26? Well, all photos live ON THE GRID now inc support acts & here👇

www.instagram.com/wairedfor/

I did one more gig for @ivwuk.bsky.social Extra. Photos be posted tomorrow and day after

Keep supporting INDEPENDENTS including me🫠💛🫶

Who else has got the #IVW26 blues? Here's some photos to take us straight back there 💛
✨

#AboutLastNight photographed my last #IVW26 celebratory gig & repped @ivwuk.bsky.social at The White Room, Stanley w Hector Gannet headline & The Early Purple support both solo

Venue is mainly family run w volunteers. Half audience came to support venue others fans of musicians. What a community💛

Was the second of three SOLD OUT #IVW26 shows. Independent promoters and music venues have already lifted my 2026. Congratulations on Jean Genie for the PandaPower show in Croydon and hooray for MOSES finding a whole new gang of strangers to impressed friends
The Choir Crowd story is real/ongoing

A wonderfully special trip to #whiteroom_musiccafe with to enjoy super solo sets from #hectorgannet supported by #theearlypurple as part of #ivw26 #goodtimes #livemusic #stanley with @victoriawai.bsky.social

The nationwide @ivwuk.bsky.social #IVW26 celebartion ended last weekend but past few years we've done IVW Extra to help venues & touring artists & tonight we have a gig at The Centra Bar in Gateshead plus one where I'll be at The White Room Music Cafe in Stanley.

Heres's some screen grabs. Join Us.

Now headliners of 9.5 gigs I attended as both rep & photographer for #IVW26 @ivwuk.bsky.social are posted it's time for the support acts as you just never know these might be your next favourite thing and/or Big Thing

Here's Watersmeet who opened for The Wran at Cumberland Arms, Newcastle 24.01.26

A heartfelt thank you from our founder and CEO of Independent Venue Week, Sybil Bell.

You can also read the full message over on our news page via 🔗 in bio.

THANK YOU 💛 #IVW26 💛

2/2

A heartfelt thank you from our founder and CEO of Independent Venue Week, Sybil Bell.

You can also read the full message over on our news page via 🔗 in bio.

THANK YOU 💛 #IVW26 💛

1/2

WHAT A WEEK 🎉
That's officially a wrap for #IVW26. Thank you so much to every one of you who made this week what it was, it was for you and because of you. 💛 See you next year...✨

If ur on Insta please visit

www.instagram.com/wairedfor?ig...

Like, share, comment to support this freelancer who photographed 9.5 #ivw26 gigs with 1 more to go on Saturday. So technically repped 11 of the 28 official North East @ivwuk.bsky.social venues

Big up independent venues & freelancers💛

And that's NINE DAYS of #IVW26 all edited. I have one more show on Saturday to complete the North East celebrations for @ivwuk.bsky.social but here's a snapshot of how we rounded the official week up at the SOLD OUT Independent in Sunderland with Scouse six piece Red Rum Club ❤️💛❤️💛❤️💛

Day 6 Part2 #IVW26 at last minute saw me do a bit of another gig. As North East @ivwuk.bsky.social Rep it felt crazy not to visit KU Bar which is 3mins-ish power walk away so I did & lovely Jordan even got me photo access to 'make it when/if I could' so here's a few photos of EEVAH who headlined 💛

Now #IVW26 week of live celebrations is over it's back to reality BUT I got so into @ivwuk.bsky.social I totally missed my op to apply for Brooke Coombe access & she's playing TWO North East shows.

AND I'VE MESSED UP!

So if anyone sees this & can help w press +1 I'll love you forever🫶

Day 6 #IVW26 @ivwuk.bsky.social was huge. As soon as I saw The Georgian Theatre, Stockton announce Pigs x7 for their celebration I knew I had to be there. I was harsh on myself & felt photos weren't my best then article went out & I looked at again & I was kinda wrong. Anyways here's four of them.

My 7th gig but Day 5 #IVW26 @ivwuk.bsky.social I got soulful at another new music venue in Newcastle - Newgate Social -where Manchester based musician hailing from America Nayah Grace did actually grace us with her sensational vocals.

A most beautiful evening of raw spine tingling vocals🥰💛

Day 6 I visited one of North East newest venues as part of @ivwuk.bsky.social #IVW26 celebrations and went to Vixen in Hartlepool to witness THREE fresh, vibrant and exciting North East bands and these photos are of headliners House Proud.

North East is is thriving. Rest of UK come join us❤️‍🔥💛❤️‍🔥

I got WAIRED on Day 5 (my 7th gig) of #IVW26 celebrations with @ivwuk.bsky.social at Pilgrim in Newcastle on some Nu Jazz from Scottish band Mama Terra and it was a lovely chilled midweek affair.

What a way to celebrate not only an independent venue but a soulful one in the heart of the city💛🫶💛

It's official last day of #IVW26 celebrations for @ivwuk.bsky.social and it's my NINTH GIG IN ELEVEN DAYS with them tonight as I head to be official IVW Photographer at Independent in Sunderland for the SOLD OUT Red Rum Club.

See you there if ur going but please be gentle w me. I'm finally lagging💛

Black T-shirt with yellow text at the top saying Independent Venue Week 2026. In smaller text below, in white, are names of venues all across the UK.

Standing at the back of a room looking at the stage where a person with pink hair is performing. The real focus is a tv screen hanging from the ceiling which has the white Independent Venue Week logo against a black background displayed on it.

Did some volunteering for #IVW26 last night! If you know me at all, then you know music and going to gigs is a huge part of my life, so it was nice to get to play a small part in celebrating independent venues.