The Leadmill, one of the UK’s most iconic independent venues, has launched a nationwide crowdfunding campaign as it searches for a new permanent home after 45 years.
Following its departure from the original Sheffield premises, the venue isn’t going quietly. Live music, comedy, club nights, and spoken word events are still running across the city while the team works to find and secure a new base.
The campaign, titled #TheNewLeadmill: Powered By The People, is asking supporters to chip in from as little as £5 towards the costs of securing, fitting out, and opening a brand new venue. Since opening its doors back in 1980, more than 10 million people have walked through The Leadmill. That’s four decades of grassroots culture, artist development, and community driven programming that has shaped Sheffield’s musical identity.
As a privately run company, The Leadmill doesn’t receive the public funding or tax reliefs that council owned cultural spaces benefit from. This crowdfunder is about long term survival, covering everything from venue acquisition and technical infrastructure to accessibility improvements and preserving the venue’s cultural heritage. All funds raised, minus standard transaction fees, will be held in a ring fenced account dedicated solely to creating the new venue.
A spokesperson for The Leadmill said: “This campaign is about safeguarding independent culture. If The Leadmill has ever been part of someone’s story, a first gig, a favourite night out, this is a chance to help ensure it exists for the next generation.”
We couldn’t agree more. Keeping UK venues alive is about making sure the next generation of bands have somewhere to cut their teeth, and the next generation of fans have somewhere to fall in love with live music for the first time. Places like The Leadmill are the backbone of this country’s music scene, and once they’re gone, they don’t come back.
If The Leadmill has ever meant something to you, now’s the time to show it. The crowdfunding campaign is live now at crowdfunder.co.uk.
