The Challenge of Promoting Live Music in Newtown, Powys

barry0313
Sep 15
2 min read

At Hafan Yr Afon – our riverside café and cultural hub in Newtown, Powys, Wales – we’re passionate about bringing high-quality live music to our community. From internationally acclaimed jazz artists to local singer-songwriters, we curate performances that rival those in much larger cities. Yet, as any small venue knows, promoting live music outside the big urban centres isn’t always straightforward.

Why Promoting Live Music in Newtown, Mid Wales Is Different

Large cities like Cardiff, Birmingham or Manchester have built-in audiences and dense transport links. In Mid Wales, venues like Hafan Yr Afon work hard to build an audience from a more dispersed population. Our setting on the banks of the River Severn makes for a stunning backdrop, but it also means we need to reach people in surrounding towns and villages.

Add to that the competition from streaming platforms and bigger venues, and it’s easy to see why small independent spaces like ours face challenges getting the word out about concerts.

Building an Audience From the Ground Up

We believe that Newtown deserves access to the same calibre of music as any major city. To achieve this, Hafan Yr Afon invests in:

Targeted social media campaigns highlighting “Live Music in Newtown” and “Live Jazz in Powys.”
Bilingual marketing (English and Welsh) to reach the widest possible audience.
Collaborations with local groups and media to amplify events across Mid Wales.
Affordable advance booking to encourage early ticket sales and support artists.

Why We Do It

Despite the difficulties, we continue because live music transforms communities. Each gig creates a shared moment – a sense of connection that’s hard to replicate online. We’re proud that audiences travel from across Powys, Shropshire and Ceredigion to experience these evenings in our warm, welcoming venue.

How You Can Help

If you live in or near Newtown, Powys and want to see more top-quality live music in Mid Wales, there are simple ways to support:

Book tickets early – advance bookings show artists there’s an audience here.
Share events on social media – even if you can’t come, your share helps enormously.
Bring a friend – introduce someone new to Hafan Yr Afon’s concerts.