Ian Smith

National Entertainment Director, Australian Venue Co.

Ian Smith is the National Entertainment Director at Australian Venue Co., where he oversees the entertainment strategy for more than 250 pubs, bars, and nightclubs across the country, including some of Australia’s most iconic live music venues like The Espy in St Kilda, Lefty’s Music Hall in Brisbane, and Monsoons in Darwin.

In his six years at AVC, he’s booked over 10,000 shows, covering everything from high-profile DJs and International touring artists to ticketed pub gigs, late-night dance floors, and the odd one that probably shouldn’t have worked (but somehow did).

Before joining AVC, he spent five years managing entertainment for ALH’s Queensland venues, and prior to that, four years touring and booking across Europe and the UK, gaining a deep appreciation for great crowds, dodgy vans, strange basements, and the occasional venue with a working PA.

His music journey started back in the late ‘90s as a touring musician (a gig he still jumps back into now and then), with a lifetime growing up in pubs and just enough marketing instinct to turn gut feel into a game plan. He’s passionate about bringing artists and audiences together in authentic, memorable ways.

With AVC set to invest over $30 million in entertainment next year and aiming to sell more than half a million tickets, it’s clear he reads spreadsheets now too, though he’d still rather be side of stage. These days, he’s focused on delivering the kind of live music experiences that make punters fall in love with their local all over again.