"Not a day goes past without a local institution or hidden gem being lost. We are determined not to let that happen to TOM."
- Jo Torode, Chair of Trustees.

2025 marks two major milestones for The Old Market (TOM): the building turns 200 years old and The Old Market Charitable Trust celebrates its first anniversary this month. To commemorate this momentous year, TOM is launching its first-ever fundraiser, aiming to raise £100,000 by December 2025. The goal? To fund essential upgrades and ensure the venue's long-term financial stability, keeping this cultural cornerstone thriving for another 200 years to come.

Established in 1825, The Old Market has worn many hats over the years. Originally built as a market hall for the grand Brunswick Town development, it later became a riding school, then a bacon smokery. By the 1980s, a love for period architecture and a rising independent arts scene transformed the space into a recording studio, performance venue and creative hub.

In 2011, TOM was reimagined by the global percussive phenomenon STOMP, whose founders, Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell, had performed in the space in the 1980s. Their vision was to create a fiercely independent home for the arts in their hometown, reinvesting their success back into Brighton and Hove's cultural ecosystem.

Two centuries after its establishment, TOM is an important independent venue that hosts over 200 diverse events annually - from live music and comedy to theatre, film and dance. Championing grassroots artistry, experimental expression and the weird and wonderful, TOM remains a vital space for connection at a time when we need it most. A bountiful market of creativity.

We asked TOM what they think makes the venue such a beloved space. Jo Torode, Chair of Trustees, said: "Artists enjoy performing here, standing under the lights, with the gorgeous acoustics, and the majestic, listed beams overhead. For audiences, it's all about being a part of the community and getting involved with unique shows and events that you won't find anywhere else in the city."

As well as hosting acts from across the arts, TOM shines because of the teams behind the scenes - the passionate organisers, brilliant technicians who encourage artists to explore their creativity and play with what's possible, and the warm and welcoming front-of-house staff who go out their way to support audiences. Aptly put by Jo, "a building is only as good as the people in it, and we are extremely blessed to have such a wonderful team, audience, and community."

And the community has already rallied behind the cause. The venue has received a flood of heartfelt messages and well wishes, and over £8,000 has been raised in just the first few weeks. Local legend Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) has stepped up yet again for his hometown with a video wishing TOM a very happy birthday and expressing his support for the campaign (watch here). The early momentum is a powerful sign of what's possible.

TOM's fundraising campaign will support The Reigning Women Season and innovative immersive formats like In The Box. The venue wants to continue platforming emerging artists, offering labs, commissions and development programmes, as well as collaborations across arts, education, health and wellbeing sectors. But as Brightoners well know, our elderly buildings require constant maintenance, so TOM will also invest in its physical space for its audiences and artists alike.

Becoming a registered charity has helped TOM diversify income streams, but the reality for independent venues remains bleak. Rising energy costs, shifting audience behaviors, cuts to public funding and the broader cost-of-living crisis pose serious threats. 

The Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) 2023 Annual Report found that 125 grassroots music venues permanently closed their doors that year, making up 16% of the UK’s local music infrastructure. Another 25 music venues were lost in 2024 but the MVT dealt with an enormous 200 emergency response cases, indicating that 24.9% of its total membership are facing the threat of closure. 

Whilst these shocking statistics are overwhelming, Nic Connaughton, Executive Director of The Old Market, emphasises the importance of community support during this milestone year:

"Independent grassroots venues like ours are facing unprecedented challenges. As we celebrate our twin milestone – two hundred years of the building, and one year as a Registered Charity, we are asking our community to consider giving us a birthday present we won’t forget."

The arts community is built on resilience and creativity, but the challenges are very real. If you love what TOM stands for, you can help.

"Attendance is vital, a room without an audience is just that... an empty room." Jo told us that the venue recently worked out that if everyone who visited once a year, came back a second time in that same year, it would mean TOM can keep its doors open. The message is quite simple: pay a visit to The Old Market.

Buy a ticket. Donate what you can. Tell your mates. The TOM team hopes "whoever is reading this will come along for the ride."

Take your pick from this impressive array  of  spring offerings:

16 April // PP Arnold: Soul Survivor (Music/Talk)
17 April // Tony Law (Comedy)
18 April // Sea Power (Music)
24 April // Carbon Based Lifeforms (Music)
1 May // Submotion Orchestra (Music)
2 May // James Lavelle presenting UNKLE Sounds (Music)
6-7 May // Toxic (Theatre)
13 May // Snapped Ankles
21 May // Elle Dillon-Reams: HoneyBEE (Spoken Word)
22 May // A&E Comedy: Do All The Things (Theatre)
23 May // Hollie McNish: The Lobster Tour (Spoken Word)
24 May // The Black Cat Cabaret (Cabaret/Club)
29 May // Elf Lyons: Horses (Comedy)
30-31 May // M-Othering (Dance/Circus)

To donate and learn more, visit The Old Market’s website.