Funds for musicians at upcoming Youth Festival

Brass Bands England (BBE) is offering bands the opportunity to participate in the first-ever Foyle Foundation Youth Fest with generous financial support from sponsors to assist with travel expenses. The Foyle Foundation has provided nearly £50,000 in funding, allowing BBE to offer travel bursaries, resources, and activities for bands interested in joining the Youth Fest event.

The event, now known as the Foyle Foundation Youth Fest, is a non-competitive brass festival aimed at celebrating music participation and success. The festival seeks to inspire and engage young people in a welcoming environment while encouraging personal and musical growth. Taking place on Friday, June 28th at Barnsley Civic in South Yorkshire, the festival is open to schools groups and bands, with free entry for participants.

To further support bands in attending the event, up to £350 in travel bursaries are available. The deadline for entries has been extended to Friday, April 26th, allowing bands to apply and benefit from the additional support. Bands will receive the bursary after the event upon submission of travel expense confirmation.

BBE’s Chief Operating Officer, Sarah Baumann, expressed gratitude for the Foyle Foundation’s contribution, emphasizing how it will make the vision of an inclusive and participant-focused event a reality. The support from the Foyle Foundation covers the costs of delivering the festival, demonstrating a clear commitment to the future of brass banding.

For more information and to apply for the Foyle Foundation Youth Fest, visit BBE’s Youth Fest information page. Audience tickets will be available for purchase in June. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of a fantastic celebration of music and youth talent.