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September 28, 202228th September, London, England – PRS for Music, the UK-headquartered organisation that represents the rights of over 160,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers around the world, announces The Bungalow as the winner of its Back to Live Music Venue Prize of £10,000 for Scotland.
The recovery-focused nationwide competition was launched by PRS for Music to give independent live music venues across the UK the chance to win one of six prizes of up to £10,000 and inject much-needed financial support into venues who are dedicated to improving live music experiences in their local communities.
Managers of The Bungalow Tommy McGrory and Alan McEwan plan on using the £10,000 PRS for Music for Music Back to Live Music Venue Prize money to upgrade the musicians’ experience at the venue by renovating the space and renewing the available backline.
An iconic 70’s/80’s punk venue known for its rebellious attitude, The Bungalow welcomed globally recognised names from The Fall to The Damned to Echo and the Bunnymen. Today, The Bungalow is run as a community ownership project to protect its musical legacy with the majority of staff musicians themselves. It hosts educational music business workshops for music creators to encourage ongoing support and development of local talent. Emerging artists and bands are regulars on the line-up.
“We can’t express how deeply grateful we are for this award. It is a great privilege that we have been chosen as the winner of The Back to Live Venue Prize in Scotland. It gives our team here at The Bungalow the confidence and motivation to work harder within our community to further develop which is already a fantastic music town. This is such an incredible moment for us and the money will significantly improve our assets which in turn will provide better opportunities both for grassroots and professional artists,” said Alan McEwan and Tommy McGrory, managers of The Bungalow.
The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the live music sector has been well-documented; between 2019 and 2021, PRS for Music saw an 84% decline in the number of live performance setlists reported to the organisation, falling from 124,000 in 2019, to 19,300 in 2021.
Tony Barton, Head of Writer Relations, PRS for Music, said: The punk legacy of The Bungalow is extremely important so their pledge to continue to contribute to Paisley’s local music scene by hosting emerging artists and upgrading their venue and backline is wonderful. Congratulations!”
Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO, PRS for Music, said: ““The Bungalow’s music legacy and increasing impact on the local community is so vitally important to the growth of music in the UK. We’re proud to find ways to support local scenes with projects like the Back to Live Music Venue Prize.”
PRS for Music’s Back to Live Music Venue Prize competition launched in March 2022 as the organisation’s direct response to the devastating effects of the global pandemic on live music venues in the UK. Open to independent live music venues who are not part of a national brand whose offering included music prior to pandemic closures, winning venues were determined by a judging panel made up of leading representatives from across the music, arts, and hospitality sectors. Complete prize terms and conditions can be found here. Four more UK regional Back to Live Music Venue Prize winners will be announced over the coming months.
