THE PLAZA
Inspired by initiatives set-up throughout the country The Plaza is Dumfries’ first roving music venue. Dedicated to the takeover of the under-utilised, the abandoned, the ruinous and the unusual.
In a 2018 survey undertaken by Dumfries Music Conference, ‘music venue provision’ was highlighted as the number one priority for the development and fruition of local bands and solo artists.
Music venues provide the bedrock for musicians to build their audience, hone their sound and cement their unique appeal as a live act. With the increase of streaming platforms and free releases, the live experience, more so than ever, is tantamount to the success of musicians and artists. DMC has always tried to nurture the local sound across a broad spectrum through live gigs at 100 High Street, establishing the Stove as a bold, intimate and thoughtful space to hear the freshest music from local and national acts. Now, moving into the eighth year of the annual conference we want to celebrate the spaces out-with our headquarters and challenge the established notions of where music ought to live. In short, we’re re-imagining the music venue.
Inspired by organisations and festivals such as the Hidden Door, Empty Shop Durham, the Moth Club and various other initiatives throughout the country, the Plaza is attempting to redefine the nature of music venues, employing a ‘takeover’ model using the unusual, the empty, the abandoned and the wild, we will expose the places where music could, and should, live. Bringing to the surface some of the key questions around music venue provision in Dumfries & Galloway.
With the deeply unfortunate news of the relocation of the region’s largest music festival we equally want to encourage a greater understanding of the contribution live music makes to the local economy as well as start the conversation with our scene on how a ‘DIY’ ethos may lead to the creative community becoming more than it ever could have imagined. We want to challenge not only our audiences and ourselves but equally ask the right questions of our local authority as well as other ‘decision-makers’, how do we build, together, the infrastructure necessary for this particular (and most lucrative) of creative industries to flourish?
The Plaza affords us the opportunity to encourage, support and, together with our young audiences, develop careers aside from music-making in photography, film, event management, programming and installation – whilst also inviting artists and the music community to help us build a new kind of space, every 2 months.
The Plaza, which takes its name from a former dancehall and concert venue on Dumfries High Street, launched in April 2019 at the Rowing Boat Club, a finale showcase, wrapping-up the Female Takeover, thereafter it migrated to the centre of the High Street, creating 'The World’s Smallest Music Venue and in October our annual conference reached its climactic end with a takeover of Soul Soup, a mental health charity and cafe for young people.
The D&G music scene is a remarkable and unique thing. It’s down to the festivals, event-makers, marketers, pubs, nightclubs, bands and artists that it has become such a force. We want to celebrate the established, create room for a new sound, support our scene and build new careers, helping to develop the talents and skills of people in the region through doing what we do best – making it for ourselves and reclaiming the right of access to culture and live music.
The Plaza is supported by
PAST PLAZA EVENTS
SOUL SOUP
THE SECRET GALLERY
MRS ILLINGWORTH’S VINTAGE SHED
WHAT THE AUDIENCE SAYS..
Wanna get involved?
If you’re interested in playing a gig, taking photos, creating a film or looking for volunteer opportunities then please get in touch!
Register your interest by sending an email to dumfriesmusicconference@gmail.com outlining how you would like to be involved and any interesting ideas you’d like to explore further.