Independent gig promoters from across Britain are taking part in a live streamed virtual festival next month, in aid of the Music Venue Trust.

Fusion Fest takes place on April 2 and 3, and will bring club nights from around the UK together for the very first time with a series of DJ sets.

The first night will be indie-focused and headlined by DJs from the UK’s biggest indie club night Propaganda, while the second will be led by Facedown and Uprawr and focus on the British alternative scene. Zoe London and Suicide Girls will also present special guest sets.

Curated by Rocktail Riot founders Djamel Makhlouf and Holly Cook alongside DJ Gem Precious, and presented in association with Fightback Lager, the event aims to raise funds for the Music Venue Trust’s Save Our Venues campaign.

Footwear brand Doc Martens have donated £5,000 to the festival. Fans can tune in to the stream on YouTube, Twitch and Mixcloud for free, although there will be a suggested donation to the  Trust’s GoFundMe campaign.

Fightback will be offering sample packs of their drinks range at a discount in celebration of the event. You can get £10 off using the code ‘NME’ here.

Mark Davyd, CEO Music Venue Trust said: “Grassroots Music Venues across the country play host to a huge range of club nights celebrating a diverse and eclectic range of music. For nearly a year we have been missing those nights, those chances to be together, to celebrate, dance and sing.

“We are delighted to see Fusion Fest celebrating this incredibly important part of what makes our network a vital part of the Night Time Economy, and want to thank Dr Martens for supporting the event and the struggle to Reopen Every Venue Safely.”

Earlier this week, meanwhile, a new survey found that the vast majority of DJs in the UK have been forced to retrain due to the coronavirus pandemic.