The event was a complete success - I received multiple compliments and praise for how it was ran throughout and the relaxed and easy going atmosphere that was created.
Some primary notes taken from audience feedback was that it felt really accessible in terms of skill level, and was refreshing to see a 'business' concept taken into a DIY perspective - This referred to the conversation on funding, profit and doing it for the sake of scene development. The volunteers were praised as well for their helpful and positive attitudes throughout the event. However in reflection, I found that there could have been more for the volunteers to do on the night, as it was a somewhat low maintenance project after the door and march table were looked after.
Future recommendations would be looking to scale the project to a larger venue, including more panels on different topics and specific genres, however for the scale of the event and the budget involved, I would consider the event to be organised efficiently in terms of scale.
As my original idea behind the project would be to have a wheelchair accessible venue, this is definitely something that I would ensure at the next event. Whilst between myself and my supervisor we considered there to be an unlikely chance of someone needing as accessible venue, someone attending the event (who will remain nameless for privacy) required a crutch to walk on, which whilst they could access the venue - this shows that future practice should include further inclusion into accessible venues. The topic of wheelchair accessible venues was brought up in the discussion panel, and it was agreed that this was a great issue within Glasgow's music scene that should be addressed.
Reflecting on the curated open mic, I feel as though this part was essential to the overall running of the night. With the panel running for 45 minutes, the curated open mic allowed for a great ending to the night, providing an engaging show displaying two fantastic DIY/Alternative artists based in Glasgow. In future events I may consider furthering the curated open mic by including an afterparty at nearby venues such as Bloc+ which would create a new atmosphere for people to digest the music, this would also allow time for an extra panel or perhaps more designated time for networking.
Overall, I am incredibly happy with the result of this creative project, on an emotional level it provided me with a very wholesome reminder that DIY is still a very alive part of Glasgow's music scene and that there is still support for grassroots practice, especially considering the recent COVID-19 pandemic. I have received countless messages asking when the next event will be which is a very motivating and inspiring thing to receive. I would love to look into creative Scotland funding for future development of this project, which would allow me to secure larger scale venues, giving more volunteering opportunities and finally and most importantly, continue to educate, collaborate and promote DIY and grassroots development within Glasgow's alternative music scene.
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