Following a successful recruitment process, Swansea Building Society Arena today announces that Matt Blackhouse has been appointed as the arena’s new Venue Director and will assume the position from Monday 2 June 2025.
Blackhouse brings a wealth of experience in venue and live event management to the business, and coming from his role of Senior Events Project Manager at YTL Arena Bristol, has played a key role in the development of plans for the region’s new entertainment district. Blackhouse brings over twenty years of live entertainment experience to the role, and a strong understanding of the industry across South Wales, having previously held several key roles at Utilita Arena Cardiff, including Deputy General Manager and Senior Events Manager, as well as roles at Celtic Manor Resort and St David’s Hall, along with freelancing for Glastonbury Festival in recent years.
Blackhouse assumes the role following the departure of Lisa Mart in March 2025, with ATG Entertainment and the Swansea Building Society Arena venue team looking forward to continuing to build on the entertainment offering brought to the region and maintaining collaborative efforts with Swansea’s vital grassroots music scene.
Swansea Building Society Arena continues to be South Wales’s premier events space, welcoming close to three-quarter of a million people through the doors since opening in March 2022. Artists including Fontaines D.C., Manic Street Preachers, Katherine Ryan, Greg Davies, Bowling For Soup, Paloma Faith and Sarah Millican have graced the stage in the first three years of operation.
Matt Blackhouse, Venue Director of Swansea Building Society Arena said: “It’s a privilege to have been appointed Venue Director of Swansea Building Society Arena. The arena has quickly established itself as an important venue in the South Wales landscape, with the recent publication of visitor numbers since opening confirming that audiences and event hirers have embraced the flexibility of the building, highlighted by the range of events that have been hosted in the first 3 years.
“I look forward to drawing on my experience to date and working with the team at ATG Entertainment to continue to build on the excellent work that has been done in the opening years, ensuring we continue to grow the programme of events, provide an excellent experience to ticket holders, event attendees and venue hirers alike, and to help make the arena a ‘must play’ destination.”
Claire Dixon, Business Director of UK Venues at ATG Entertainment: “We are absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Matt Blackhouse as the new Venue Director at Swansea Building Society Arena. Matt brings with him a wealth of experience in live entertainment and venue management, and we are thrilled to welcome him into the ATG family.
His passion for delivering world-class events, combined with his deep understanding of the live music and entertainment industry, makes him the perfect fit to lead this iconic venue into its next exciting chapter. Swansea Building Society Arena is a cornerstone of the cultural and live entertainment scene in South Wales, and under Matt’s leadership, we are confident it will continue to grow as a vibrant hub for artists, audiences, and the wider music business community.
We’re incredibly excited about what lies ahead and look forward to working closely with Matt as he brings his vision, energy, and expertise to the role.”
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