- Skiddle Promoter Fund
How the winners of the Skiddle Promoter Fund used their grants: Plain Sailing
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By Dale Grogan
- 21 Nov 2024
- 8 min read
You may have seen that we recvently announced another whopping £10,000 in grants to event organisers through our Skiddle Promoter Fund initiative. This time, the scheme focused on assisting event pros based in Northern Ireland. One of those to be awarded a grant was electronic event brand, Plain sailing.
We caught up with Andrew Moore from the team to discuss their thriving music-focused events in Belfast. Known for exploring the sub-genres of electronic music, Plain Sailing has hosted an impressive roster of international and local talent.
Read our interview with Andrew to lear how their dedicated DIY ethos has helped them foster a connected community in a challenging scene, how the Skiddle Promoter Fund has empowered their vision, and what lies ahead for Plain Sailing as they continue to champion underground dance music.
Tell us a bit about your event/brand and the scene in your area.
“Plain Sailing is a music-focused event that explores the many sub-genres of electronic music. We host both international and local guests from the underground dance music scene. We’ve booked artists such as Objekt, Roza Terenzi, D.Dan, Interplanetary Criminal, DVS1 and more.
“The scene in Belfast is small, but dedicated. It’s super DIY given that there isn’t a huge amount of support for electronic music here, and the mainstream community still view dance music as a dirty word. We rely on our niche, and we’re super grateful that this niche continues to turn up for us every month. The community here might not be large, but it’s very connected in terms of other promoters willing to help out.”
What made you decide to apply for the Skiddle Promoter Fund?
“Rising costs of everything from venues to artist fees mean that it’s harder than ever to be a promoter. Couple that with a post-covid environment where people are going out less and you might ask why anyone decides to put themselves through the stress. Things like the Skiddle Promoter Fund go a long way in helping our mental health by not stressing about the financials, allowing us to focus on what’s important – the music.”
What have the funds you secured enabled you to do at the event you hosted that you might not have been able to do otherwise?
“We definitely wouldn’t have been able to book as many local acts as we did without the Skiddle Promoter Fund. We booked 9 different DJs from across Northern Ireland to come and play for us, it allowed us to put on an all-local line-up to celebrate the people that make Belfast what it is with no financial restrictions.”
What are the perks or advantages of using the Skiddle platform when promoting and selling tickets to events?
“The promoter hub interface is great. It gives you a breakdown of ticket sales and access to loads of insightful data. There is also tons of support available in terms of promoting and marketing an event.”
What does the future hold for Plain Sailing?
“We’ve got a series of monthly shows taking us to January and then we’ll be looking at getting our 2025 slots booked. We had Objekt playing for us on Halloween, which was HUGE, and a few more shows that are yet to be announced.”
Why should other promoters apply for future Skiddle Promoter Fund initiatives?
“Other promoters should apply for future Skiddle Promoter Fund initiatives because it provides invaluable support that helps ease the financial pressures of running events. We’ve been able to focus on curating incredible experiences for our audience, rather than worrying about budgets.
“For us, it meant being able to celebrate and showcase our local talent without compromise, which has been vital for fostering the community we’re so passionate about. It’s a game-changer for anyone looking to grow their events and make a lasting impact on their scene.”
To stay up to date on future Skiddle Promoter Fund bursaries, to get the latest event industry news, and to get the lowdown on new Skiddle features, tools and services, follow the Skiddle Promoters Instagram page and our LinkedIn page.
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