GUEST COLUMN:
Jessica Morden
MP for Newport East
Newport punches above its weight culturally – and every March there's a particular focus, kicking off spring with a month of events, many of them free to access.
The last two weekends are particularly full: the Festival of Words, the Live Act Fringe, the Newport Music Trail, and the start of the Medieval Ship Season, culminating in Operasonic's Get Gigging showcase at the end of the month.
It's quite the feast, but best of all these events are built and brought together by a small, committed group of creatives who care about developing Newport's cultural life and leaving a strong, healthy industry for the next generation to inherit.
Also, worth noting is a new music venue opening in the city centre – the second new venue to open in Newport this year. Given the national picture for music venues, that's quite the achievement, and yet another sign of Newport bucking the trend.
All of this is cause for pride – but we should keep in mind that grassroots music venues (GMVs) are fragile. Wales has 46 official Music Venue Trust (MVT) -recognised GMVs, and Newport accounts for four of them (just a portion of the city’s total rollcall of music venues). This represents almost 10% of the country's total, for a city with less than 5% of its population.
Earlier this year I attended the MVT’s annual report launch in London, which painted a stark picture of the music venue economy. More than half of the UK's GMVs failed to break into profit last year as the touring circuit continued to contract – and almost 60% now operate with no major promoter activity at all.
According to MVT, in real terms, that means audiences in places like Newport very rarely see acts on national tours (although all of our GMVs give it a good crack). The primary and secondary touring circuits are largely confined to the big cities, with once-regular destinations like Newport, and whole regions across Wales, no longer being served.
So… what do we do about this?
I firmly believe that music venues are essential infrastructure in our towns and cities. They're more than just a place for gigs, often playing host to workshops and other events, as well as offering a vital space to help combat loneliness. They’re often a safe space for young people to explore their musical likes and dislikes, and most importantly, they offer a place for people to participate in and experience creativity and art –a fundamental human right, protected by the UN. And of course, this doesn’t just apply to music venues – this applies to all arts venues, to all theatres and to all creative spaces.
They also play an important part in our creative economy here in the UK, giving young bands a place to cut their teeth and learn their trade, developing sound engineers, lighting engineers, promoters… the list goes on.
My colleague, Chris Bryant MP, when he was a minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), recognised this, saying that “grassroots music venues are one of the UK's most valuable and yet undervalued cultural assets… without a flourishing grassroots music industry, the rest of our music industry will wither”.
He's right, and I'm glad to be part of a government that backs this.
I'm also glad to see the UK Government endorsing the long-campaigned-for £1 levy – an initiative asking for a £1 contribution on tickets for arena and stadium concerts (over 5,000 capacity) to fund grassroots music venues. As of early 2026, the scheme has raised more than £500,000 to support venue sustainability and emerging artists, with major support coming from the likes of Coldplay. Currently the levy is voluntary, but if made compulsory it would be transformative, pumping millions into the grassroots music industry – similar to the way top-flight football funds grassroots activities, though on a much smaller scale.
MVT have said that if the levy scheme isn't adopted by all 5,000-plus capacity venues by June 2026, they'll push for it to be legislated for – and that's something I'd certainly be pleased to champion amongst DCMS colleagues.
Our city might punch above its weight when it comes to music venues, and I see the impact they have on my own doorstep, but I know that their existence is fragile and must be protected. They need all of our support to thrive and grow, and I’ll keep working with colleagues in Westminster, Cardiff and Newport City Council to keep their importance high on the agenda.
But anyway, back to the end of this month in Newport… here's what you can expect:
Live Act Fringe 20–22 March, Newport City Centre
Now in its second year, the festival will showcase over 30 acts across six independent venues, bringing together emerging and established artists from Newport and beyond. Expect an eclectic programme spanning comedy, circus, drag, music, storytelling, spoken word and more.
More info: https://arts.wales/news-jobs-opportunities/newport-live-act-fringe-returns-march
Newport Festival of Words 20–23 March, Newport City Centre
A celebration of words, from songwriting to storytelling, poetry to prose, featuring local, national, and international writers and performers.
More info: www.newportwordfest.co.uk
Newport Medieval Ship Season from Friday 27 March
Friends of Newport Ship volunteer guides will be opening the Ship Centre to the public from 27 March to 31 October, with audio guides in English by actor Michael Sheen and in Welsh by actor Rhys ap William.
More info: https://www.newportship.org
Newport Music Trail 27–28 March, Newport City Centre
36 hours of free live music across Newport city centre, headlined by Goldie Lookin' Chain and Melin Melyn and pulled together by Newport City Council in partnership with Focus Wales and a whole plethora of venues, retailers and more. Expect around 100 bands and artists across all genres, performing in venues ranging from Newport Cathedral to the city's GMVs, shops and an outdoor stage. Every event is free to attend.
More info: https://www.newport.gov.uk/our-city/see-and-do/newport-music-trail
The Get Gigging Big Gig Showcase 29th March, The Corn Exchange, Newport City Centre
The culmination of a month of workshops and skills development courtesy of Operasonic, working with young people to carve career pathways in the music industry. Promises to highlight some of the best young talent in the city.
More info: www.instagram.com/operasonic
