A crowdfunder for a commemorative book that will feature 11 independent music venues in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Lewisham has raised over £4,000 in a week.  

Sweaty Ceilings is set to celebrate 30 landmark grassroots music venues across London, with more than a third of these being located within Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Lewisham. 

From the ELL boroughs, the book will feature Cafe OTO, MOTH Club, The Old Blue Last, The Shacklewell Arms, The Waiting Room, and Village Underground in Hackney, Sebright Arms, The George Tavern, Troxy in Tower Hamlets, and New Cross Inn and Venue MOT in Lewisham. 

The Shacklewell Arms is one of the grassroots music venues set to be featured in Sweaty Ceilings. Pic: Cornelia Falknäs.

The project is led by artist and designer Sophie Mo and independent music manager Tash Cutts, who is in partnership with Music Venue Trust, a UK charity that works to protect grassroots music venues.  

Beverley Whitrick, COO of Music Venue Trust, said: “Delving into the stories of musicians who started their careers in these venues demonstrates why they need to be championed and protected – for artists, audiences and communities. A book that helps amplify the voices of grassroots venues is a powerful way of demonstrating their value and MVT is proud to endorse Sweaty Ceilings. We are grateful that the team behind it will, in turn, be raising funds for the charity with each book purchased.” 

For each sale of the £35 book, £5 will be donated to Music Venue Trust.  

There is a £45,000 crowdfunding goal to publish Sweet Ceilings Pic: Sweaty Ceilings

According to the trust, last year was the worst for music venue closures in a decade, with two venues closing down every week across the UK.  

Therefore, Sweaty Ceilings aims to raise awareness of the importance of grassroots venues to musicians’ careers and London’s culture. 

Each chapter of the book will be written by a different music journalist and feature interviews, archive photography, posters, and memorabilia.  

The crowdfunder is looking to raise £45,000 to be able to pay all the writers, and finance PR and production for the book.  

The George Tavern said: “It’s such an exciting and proud moment for us at The George to be involved in [Sweaty Ceilings] – A fantastic new project, the book celebrates London’s landmark independent music venues … and focusses on the history and untold stories of the beloved spaces that make our lives so interesting.”