Music Week Awards

We are delighted to have been shortlisted in the Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene category at the 2026 Music Week Awards. The highly respected awards cover the whole spectrum of the British music industry, and represent a badge of excellence for work done in one of the UK’s most successful industries. The awards are peer-voted and judged by an independent panel of expert judges.

The Spirit Of The Scene category is supported by Music Venues Trust, and recognises grassroots venues that are less than 800 capacity. This category is also the only one decided by a public vote – and while we are incredibly proud to have been nominated alongside some other incredible venues across the country, we’d love it if you could vote for us!

Future Yard’s CEO and co-founder Craig Pennington says: “We’re obviously thrilled to be included in this category, which is a reflection of the amazing work that our whole team puts day in, day out. It’s also a great recognition to how far we’ve come in only six years, and to be in the company of some venues we’ve long admired. There are many unsung heroes at the grassroots level, so it feels really important that Music Week and Music Venues Trust value this part of the industry and put it in the spotlight at such a prestigious awards ceremony.”

If you’d like to vote for Future Yard in the Grassroots Venue award category, you can do so by clicking below. It’s really quick to do, and we’d be made up to have your support!

Mike Smith, former music industry executive and member of Future Yard’s Board of Non-Executive Directors, says: “Future Yard is redefining what a grassroots music venue can be in the UK. Since 2019, they’ve pioneered a new way of working that has the potential to transform the entire grassroots sector. They don’t just bring the best new and established artists from around the world into Merseyside; they embed music at the heart of the community – from creative support for children as young as three, right through to their Sound Check apprenticeships that develop the next generation of live music professionals. With best-in-class facilities for musicians and songwriters, and an unwavering commitment to giving both artists and audiences the best possible experience in an intimate setting, Future Yard is a shining example of how a grassroots venue can be the cultural lifeblood of a local area. They are, in my view, the very best of what a UK grassroots music venue should be.”