Future Yard breaks ground on new 600 capacity venue in Birkenhead
Birkenhead live music venue Future Yard has begun work on a new 600 capacity venue on its existing site as part of a £3m project which will see the venue offer an extended programme and wider community engagement.
BUILD OUR FUTURE will see the current capacity of the live music venue expand to 960+ alongside 12 flexible studio spaces to be used as practice rooms, music education spaces and workshop units.
Ground was broken at the site by Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham, Birkenhead MP Alison McGovern, Cllr Mark Skillicorn, Chair of the Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee at Wirral Council alongside the Future Yard team.
Cllr Mark Skillicorn said:
Future Yard plays a vital role in widening access to music, training and creative careers for young people in our borough, and it’s a great example of how Local Regeneration Funding is helping to deliver lasting cultural and community impact.
The expanded venue will support local jobs, attract new audiences and provide high‑quality learning and training spaces for the next generation, and it’s great to see work starting to bring this to life.
Future Yard has already secured 95% of the £3m project. A crowdfunding campaign will run until the end of March to raise £150k, of which 50% will support construction costs and 50% will support Future Yard’s Neighbourhood Ticket Scheme, alongside the organisation’s skills and training programme.
Built into Future Yard’s work is a commitment to nurturing music talent from cradle to career. The new flexible studio spaces will allow Future Yard to expand on their commitment to training, music education provision and encouraging a love of music in young people who have no access to music education.
Last year alone, 1443 children attended Future Yard’s Sunday-morning Mosh Tots shows, making live music accessible to kids and young families. 166 young people took part in Sound Check, an inclusive music training programme in live sound, lighting, stage management and event production. Through mentorship, workshops and performance opportunities, our Propeller programme supports the development of local music creators, and 75 local artists received tailored support last year. New Noise is where the next generation of music makers begin. Every Saturday, young people aged 11–16 take over Future Yard to explore instruments, write songs, and play the music they love.
This project is supported by the Local Regeneration Fund, managed by Wirral Council, and funded by the UK Government
John Whaling, Chair at Future Yard, said:
Future Yard’s mission is to transform both Birkenhead and the nature of what a UK grassroots music venue does, based on the principle that music can change the world.
What has been achieved so far is miraculous, but by design, not by accident. Launched on the eve of lockdown six years ago, Future Yard is now a local anchor institution, a training and education provider, a national social value and sustainability exemplar, and of course an exceptional live music venue employing 50 people.
Future Yard 2.0 will enable us to deliver more, bigger, even better for local residents and emerging acts, plus regional, national and international artists and audiences. It will equally accelerate the regeneration of Birkenhead and enhance the Liverpool City Region's already UK-leading position with regard to both music and place-based innovation.
Alison McGovern, MP for Birkenhead and Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness:
I’ve loved Future Yard ever since it opened and created a space, not just for live music performance but also as a space for young people to learn their skills. At this moment in time, a lot of music venues are under pressure, but in Birkenhead we’re turning the tables on that. These are the jobs of the future and in the music industry in particular Future Yard is investing in nurturing that skill and talent.
This is, and will continue to be a music venue for young people and the community. It is changing hearts and minds across the country about Birkenhead because this is a nationally recognised venue that musicians and audiences love.
