Exeter Phoenix: Supporting Live Music in the South West
Welcome to Exeter Phoenix. We are not just an events venue. We are a charity. We support artists, develop talent, commission new work, and take risks. We strive to be a welcoming place for everyone and are committed to providing access to the arts for all — and we welcome around 350,000 visitors through our doors each year.
Our music programme is integral to who we are, what we're known for, what opportunities we can give artists, and how we bring people together. Supporting artists established and new, we have been named one of the leading independent music venues in the UK, with around 150 music events programmed yearly.
" The Phoenix is doing a great job" — Time Out
The 42 Greatest Independent Music Venues in the UK | Fri 15 May 2026
our feedback
We're proud of the impact we have on people coming to our space. Whilst we welcome many visitors yearly, one of our biggest successes in our current, much-loved Edwardian home is that whilst we can fill our venue full of happy gig-goers, small, intimate and accessible performances feel right in our venue with a total standing capacity of 500 people.
"Having lived in the area for 14 years, I have been ... on numerous occasions, and we finally did a show at the Phoenix as our Glastonbury warm-up in 2023.
The venue is small enough for it to be an intimate show, and it is also an accessible venue for those with additional needs, which makes it a win-win in my book"
— Rachel Goswell, Slowdive for Time Out
The 42 Greatest Independent Music Venues in the UK | Fri 15 May 2026
This is something we hear from gig-goers, performers, promoters and supported artists alike, with many celebrating who we are: a grassroots, inclusive and welcoming independent venue.
"I LOVE the Phoenix! I live in Cornwall and travel up for the Indie Music gigs you put on and generally stay the night." — gig-goer"
"It is such a beautiful venue & I regularly come to gigs there. It's always such a lovely atmosphere" — gig-goer"
"The Phoenix is one if my favourite gig venues and happy to support it. I know how lucky we are to have a venue that is willing to support grass roots music and arts." — gig-goer"
"The team at the Phoenix are all superb... always wanting to improve across the board for everyone - for us, staff and audiences. They are all wonderful" — from our supported artists, promoters and performers
"Even though your venue is far from home for us, it was a real boost to find a venue which really does support alternative work and seems to be much more effective on marketing / real results in audience numbers than many other venues, despite being in the same tough economic climate. This must be testament to the audiences you have built." — from our supported artists, promoters and performers
"I know you know this - but we (as a community) really value what you all do. Phoenix is a genuine safe haven for many" — from our supported artists, promoters and performers
"Everyone was so lovely and welcoming - so important to us as an LGBTQIA+ company with a majority queer & neurodiverse/disabled audiences as well as team that we feel confidently supported, and we did.
Practical things like having accessible and gender neutral toilets are vital, also having friendly staff who don't assume gendered honorifics, seeing trans flags around the place and other queer shows (even outside of "pride season") is reassuring" — from our supported artists, promoters and performers"We've played some amazing venues including the infamous Paradiso in Amsterdam, Vicar Street in Dublin and the Brudenell in Leeds but for me this was the most special ...
It was a dream come true after watching so many amazing artists play on that stage, most recently my favourites Kris Drever and Chris Wood who I always come to see when they are in town." — from our supported artists, promoters and performers
The Gap
Our longstanding relationship with the music industry and local, partner organisations over the last 27 years has given us insight into what the city is lacking - and how we may fulfil it. It is a shared belief that Exeter could strongly benefit from a flexible, central venue, with good capacity of between 800 - 1,500.
This facility is lacking in Exeter, and without it, the city is unable to pick up the same touring opportunities as Bristol, despite the clear appetite from people living in Exeter and surrounding areas. Attracting larger artists would in turn, inject plenty more into Exeter's economy.
Our vision
We believe the building we have chosen is the perfect fit for a multi-purpose entertainment venue in the heart of Exeter. Our vision is to rescue this important, historic cultural venue and transform it into the leading live music venue in the region.
Offering a mainly standing capacity of 1500, and platforming between 50-100 live events per year, this would enable Exeter and Devon to attract a higher calibre of talent and performers, and provide further progression routes for regional artists, building on the city’s burgeoning live music scene.