Hexham Bluegrass Festival 2024 will build on the success of last year's festival which saw: 22 acts, workshops, talks, a film showing, busking and demonstrations on the bandstand in the Sele park, and in the town. 0ver 800 people attended this weekend and the feedback was resoundingly positive. The festival is free but the musicians and tech team are paid. Free public access is the cornerstone of the event . As well as promoting interest and participation in bluegrass, the festival promotes emerging artists and offers opportunities for a range of individuals to learn about, and experience, this genre of music. Last year's festival attracted all ages and we were joined by young volunteers from a local music project who were learning about festival management. They will be joining us again. The town's local businesses benefitted hugely from the festival. We are fundraising again to ensure the festival's future and to help secure the town's place in the National Bluegrass calendar.
What we'll deliver:
- 3 days of free music
- Paid employment for musicians and sound technicians
- Sound system Hire
- Workshops and tuition
- Volunteer opportunities
- Free access to all in the park
- An event that stimulates the local economy
- A gender balanced festival
- Free Bluegrass events in the run up to the festival
Why it's a great idea:
The benefits that the Bluegrass Festival brings were demonstrated last year. It will again provide a free weekend of music for everyone in an open access, public space. It introduces people to Bluegrass and old time music, with opportunities to learn how to play this inclusive and enjoyable form of music. It is a successful example of the town's agencies, businesses and residents working together for mutual benefit. It stimulates the local economy, provides volunteering opportunities and it promotes live music and the arts. It provides paid employment to musicians and music technicians. It is also now the only Bluegrass festival in the region and the only free Bluegrass festival in the country and it attracts many visitors from outside the town, adding to its tourist offer and stimulating the local economy.
Steps to get it done:
- Holding the Festival
- holding free workshops, talks and events from April to July
Hexham Bluegrass Festival is a working partnership between Core Music (CIC), Hexham Community Partnership and Hexham Town Council. It will again be working with volunteers from Key Change, a local youth music initiative, who helped as part of their training in Festival organization and management. Key Change
subsequently organized their own, hugely successful, FIND festival on the same site in September. Areas that the festival will be expanding are: local music related stalls on site and greater involvement of local groups and businesses in the town. The boost to the local economy was much greater than expected last year. The focus of the festival however, will continue to be a weekend of free and accessible music.
