About the project

What does this community space/venue do?

The Bunkhouse is an independent, multi-award-winning music venue and creative hub based in the heart of Swansea city centre. Since opening in 2017, we’ve become a vital part of the South Wales music scene, hosting over 240 shows a year in the venue alone, plus countless events across South Wales and beyond. The venue is known for championing local talent, hosting unforgettable live shows, and creating a space where music and community thrive.

What is VIY doing?

Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) and the Music Venue Trust (MVT), are moving forward with the renovation of The Bunkhouse Music venue in Swansea following its water damage. The building has now dried out and the leaks have been repaired.
The scope of work for the hallway leading to the main room and the DJ booth is detailed below:
Hallway & Main Room Preparation
– Lay proplex floor protection or dust sheets to protect the flooring.
– Scrape all loose paint off the ceiling and walls.
– Fix 25mm x 50mm battens to the walls using 40mm screws with plugs – Fit 2400mm x 1200mm x 9mm MDF boards over the poster walls onto the battens using 50mm/60mm screws.
– Cover the joints, rip down the MDF board to 50mm strips to create a panelled effect, and secure using a nail gun and caulk.
– Use filler to cover all pin heads and screw heads prior to painting.
Painting & Finishing
– Apply stain block to the ceiling and any areas previously affected by water damage.
– Apply a mist coat to bare plaster.
– Sand and prepare the doors for painting.
– Paint the ceiling, all new MDF boards, the doors, and the hallway using Diamond eggshell black paint.
– Sand the stairs and paint them with Diamond eggshell black paint.
DJ Booth Ceiling Installation
– Fix 2400mm x 1200mm x 9mm MDF boards to the spars, ensuring all boards and joints run in the same direction.
– Cover the joints with 50mm ripped down MDF.
– Fit 50mm MDF strips around the outer edge of the newly boarded ceiling.
– Paint the new DJ booth ceiling with Diamond eggshell black paint.

What will be the impact of our project?

Improving the condition and appearance of the venue, creating a safer, more welcoming environment for audiences, performers and volunteers.
Addressing water damage and damp, helping to protect the building and prevent further deterioration.
Improving the main room and hallway, making the space more attractive and functional for live music, events and community activity.
Supporting a valued independent music venue, helping The Bunkhouse continue to provide opportunities for local artists, musicians and audiences.
Creating a positive project for young people, giving VIY learners practical construction experience, skills development and an opportunity to contribute to an important local community asset.
Delivering a highly visible before-and-after transformation, making it an excellent demonstrator project and providing a strong impact story for funders.

Project contact: graham@teamviy.com.