Small, Informal Music Venues Creating Performance Opportunities for Artists in a Minority Language Music Scene: A Study Based in North Wales

Abstract This study analyses how small music venues and festivals contribute to the nature of a largely non-urban music market where a minority language plays a significant role. The studied non-urban market is marked by geographical isolation and a unique cultural identity. A qualitative dataset consisting of twelve semi-structured interviews alongside secondary data was used to gain insights into the characteristics of music venues in the North Wales music scene, where a minority language market exists. It was explored that even without sufficient funding and infrastructure, a non-urban music scene can thrive due to strong community engagement and participation, emerging not only from the region's remoteness and geographical isolation but also from a shared minority language and culture.