The Vault Arts Centre featured in national Independent Venue Week initiative

15 Jan 26
by Nathon Jones

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Running from 26th Jan to 1st Feb 2026, Independent Venue Week is the UK's annual 7 day celebration of independent music & arts venues and the people that own, run and work in them, and The Vault Arts Centre, Newton Stewart, will be hosting two exciting live shows as part of this event.

Independent Venue Week

With support from the likes of BBC6 Music & Arts Council England, IVW sees venues come together with artists, promoters, agents, record labels & media to create a nationwide series of special live events.

Since its inception, IVW has empowered local music communities - with thousands of artists playing thousands of shows in villages, towns & cities all around the UK.  In total, over 1 million tickets have been sold for IVW events.

IVW is a nationwide initiative with a local feel, highlighting why venues are so much more than just stages for live music. They are cultural hubs for learning, creativity & arts more widely, connecting people in local communities of all ages, backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, skills and walks of life.  Quite simply, music venues are the backbone of the UK’s live music scene.

IVW recognises all that venues have done to create some of the memorable nights of the past so they can continue to do so in the future.

This year's event features, again, some of the best venues in the UK and we're delighted that The Vault Arts Centre, Newton Stewart, is included this year.  The Vault Arts Centre will be hosting the following shows as part of this excellent initiative:

GALLOWGRASS - Friday 30th January 2026 / Doors 7pm / £10
Popular local band GallowGrass are back at The Vault Arts Centre in Newton Stewart for their debut headline show on Friday 30th January 2026, part of Independent Venue Week 2026.
They perform a mix of Americana/bluegrass/folk influenced tunes and songs, along with their own arrangements of tunes and songs from the bluegrass/folk traditions.
Book online at Ticketsource
Check out this event on Facebook

DARACH - Saturday 31st January 2026 / Doors 7pm / £10
Darach, the acclaimed duo of Galician producer Hugo Franco and Scottish violinist Roo Geddes, is creating an innovative musical conversation between their respective Celtic cultures. Their work is an intimate, resonant exploration of contemporary folk, built upon the folk traditional of Galicia and Scotland, framed by original compositions and improvisation.
Book online at Ticketsource
Check out this event on Facebook

We'll also be launching a new Crowdfunding campaign on Friday 30th January 2026, with all proceeds from the GallowGrass gig, that night, going towards securing the long-term future of the venue and creating a state-of-the-art modern community centre facility and tourist attraction in Newton Stewart.

Further Information

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• Independent Venue Week