17/04/2026
Running a venue involves a lot more than booking bands. Just ask Mia Herman.
In 2022, Mia took over as manager of Oceanen - one of the jewels in the crown of Gothenburg’s live scene. She’d barely got her feet through the door before she was tasked with writing business plans, recruiting staff, planning for an anniversary celebration and fixing leaks left, right and centre. “There’s a lot of things that you need to be good at,” she says - and that first year proved it.
In some ways, Mia’s career journey follows the path of a classic promoter. As a teenager in Borås she played in bands for a few years, before a curiosity to test something new (and stage fright) led to her arranging concerts of her own. By 16 she was regularly putting on sold-out Hardcore shows at youth clubs and local venues.
After a few years of studying, working with youth organisations, and a brief detour into coding, Mia found her way back to live events - first with Clandestino Festival in Gothenburg, before eventually joining Oceanan.
Alongside a love of music, Mia’s passion for member-driven and socially engaged initiatives plays a big part in her work. At Ocenanen - where music, art, community projects, workshops and literary projects take place under the same roof - she seems to have found the perfect home.
With the water damage dealt with and a business plan in place, the focus in recent years has turned to creating a space where everyone feels welcome and where culture can act as a democratic force. Artistic projects like The Q***r Gaze are part of this work, building a platform for new and underrepresented voices and encouraging dialogue across borders. Right now, that mission feels more important than ever.
herman
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