The Secret Comedy Club Fridays

The Secret Comedy Club is back on Friday 24 July at Artista, 42 Brighton Square, and it's the start of a long run that keeps going every Friday until 23 October. If you've not been, it's an independent room in Brighton & Hove that's picked up the Audience Choice Award for Best Fringe Venue, and it's billed as the city's best small comedy club. It's also the only one in Brighton that runs every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with the odd Thursday and Sunday thrown in too.

The club positions itself as a safer, friendlier alternative to the bigger rooms around town: an intimate, cosy and accessible space built for real connection rather than overwhelming scale. It works as a creative art-meets-comedy space and a grassroots club that pairs TV and stage stars with rising talents from the UK scene, with a new headliner and MC every week. Past performers include Dane Baptiste, Sean Walsh, Zoe Lyons, Henning Wehn, Fiona Allen and Tim Renkow.

Beyond the Friday nights, the venue hosts open mic nights, comedy and jazz nights, and an Artista Jazz Jam every third Sunday of the month. It's strictly 16+ and runs a no-heckling policy, so it's a relaxed spot if you're not in the mood for a rowdy crowd. The Friday run starts on 24 July and goes through to 23 October, with the show running from 19:00 to 22:30 until 18 September, and then shifting to 20:00 to 22:30 from 9 October to 23 October. Tickets are £12.00.