Propaganda Independent Venues Acquires TEG's UK Venue Estate

25 November 2025 - Press release

Propaganda's Dan Ickowitz-Seidler, along with Richard Buck, have together launched Propaganda Independent Venues and announced the acquisition of TEG's UK venue estate. This includes Tramshed and The Globe in Cardiff, XOYO and Camden Assembly (formerly the legendary Barfly) in London, and XOYO Birmingham. 

This acquisition establishes Propaganda Independent Venues as a significant name in the independent live music sector and marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Propaganda, reinforcing the company's deep-rooted commitment to supporting grassroots venues, artists and music fans, and ensuring that these iconic venues continue to thrive under independent ownership. 

Propaganda is the UK's biggest indie night. Its two-decade legacy has seen many highlights, including expansion into Australia, America, Brazil and Ibiza; Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, Catfish & The Bottlemen and many more taking to the Propaganda stage; and the release of Yungblud's debut vinyl via Propaganda Records.  

Dan Ickowitz-Seidler said, "I am really excited to have reacquired Tramshed, our original venue that Rich and I created ten years ago, along with the other incredible venues that made up TEG's venue estate. It is a challenging time for grassroots venues at the moment, and for a lot of touring artists. We are owned and run by music fans and want to support the touring ecosystem as much as possible. We won't charge our artists merch fees, and we'll also have a fairer ticketing allocation model, ensuring greater support for the artists who play our venues, as well as our promoters and customers." 

Propaganda brings considerable experience to its newly acquired venues. Propaganda co-owns The Warehouse in Leeds, one of the UK's oldest venues. Dan and Richard previously owned and created Tramshed in Cardiff, Wales's premier live music venue, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Richard also previously owned The Globe and The Mill, which became XOYO Birmingham.

Propaganda Independent Venues will also enter a long-term strategic partnership with Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events, who will support the operation of the venues and deliver comprehensive back-of-house functionality, including finance, health and safety compliance, diary management, in-house booking, marketing, and ticketing. This partnership is a significant evolution in the 20-year relationship between Propaganda and Ghostwriter's Directors, delivering a wealth of industry knowledge, experience and expertise across both companies. Propaganda venues will join Ghostwriter's existing venue partners, including Braehead Arena (Glasgow), The Prospect Building (Bristol), The Olympia (Liverpool), Warehouse (Leeds) and Quarters (Brighton), as the model continues to expand throughout the UK.

As part of a broader move to support independent venues, Propaganda has announced that all venue ticket sales will now include an optional customer donation to the Music Venue Trust, providing another revenue stream to support the Trust's vital work in the independent sector.

Mark Davyd, Music Venue Trust CEO, said, "It's fantastic to see these five venues being taken on by such an experienced and professional team. We are pleased to welcome Propaganda Independent Venues into the fold of the Music Venues Alliance family and look forward to working with them so they can deliver an exceptional live music offer to their communities."

The Propaganda Independent Venue estate includes well-established and respected venues with a rich heritage. Camden Assembly is revered in the annals of indie rock under its previous moniker, Barfly, while XOYO London is renowned as one of the capital's leading clubs, hosting legendary residencies. Tramshed has spent a decade as Cardiff's must-visit live music venue, with The Globe also known as a crucial supporter of up-and-coming talent in the region. Launched just two years ago, XOYO Birmingham has rapidly established itself as the second city's most exciting and versatile venue.