PhD Research: Mapping Music Scenes, Gender, and Cultural Belonging in the South Wales Valleys

My doctoral research explores the alternative music scenes of the South Wales Valleys between 2000 and 2012, with a focus on female fans, cultural participation, and scene-making. Drawing on scene theory—particularly the work of Bennett & Peterson (2004) on local, translocal, and virtual scenes—and gender frameworks such as Hills’ ‘Is Emo Metal?’, I examine how women have navigated, contributed to, and reshaped these cultural spaces.

Through participatory mapping, oral histories, and archival research, my work investigates the spatial, social, and emotional dynamics of grassroots music communities. I’m interested in questions of access, gatekeeping, cultural capital, and collective memory—especially how they intersect with gender and regional identity.

At its heart, this project is about honouring the legacy of a scene that shaped my identity, amplifying the voices of women within it, and contributing to a more inclusive understanding of cultural production and belonging in marginalised places.

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If you’d like to learn more about the project, share your story, or take part in the research at a later stage, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you were part of the South Wales music scene, attended gigs, played in a band, or supported from the sidelines—your memories and experiences matter.

Get in touch via my contact form to be part of documenting and celebrating this important cultural history.