After a successful inaugural event earlier this year, our brand new National Youth Brass Band Festival, Youth Fest, is set to remain a regular feature of the youth banding calendar.
The 2025 event has now been confirmed for Friday 4 July at artsdepot, an award-winning arts centre in Barnet, North London. As well as performance opportunities, the free band entry includes participation in BBE Brass Foundations workshops and access to the auditorium to listen to other participating bands.
Youth Fest was set up in 2024, with additional support from the Foyle Foundation, as a non-competitive performance opportunity for people who are part of a school or youth band. The event is funded by Arts Council England (ACE), forming part of BBE's IPSO (Investment Principle Support Organisation) grant to support the needs of the brass band sector. Youth Fest sits along BBE’s other ACE-funded youth activity, including the National Youth Brass Band Championships (Youth Champs) and its flagship Brass Foundations education programme.
Claire Mera-Nelson, Director of Music, Arts Council England, said "It's so wonderful to see a brass band event that celebrates participation in music: inspiring and engaging young people in an inclusive environment is a fantastic way of encouraging both their personal and musical progression. We’re delighted to see that groups applying for next year’s event will have the opportunity to perform at artsdepot, another fantastic organisation within our national portfolio. It’s great to have such a high-quality opportunity available to those just starting out on their musical journey."
Schools that took part in Foyle Foundation Youth Fest 2024 reported that the event had a supportive and energetic atmosphere and that they felt the day was going to have a positive impact on future musical activity within the school.
Sarah Baumann, BBE’s Chief Operating Officer, commented: "Youth Fest has proved to be exactly what we hoped it would be - a fun, dynamic event that is perfect for introducing young people to performing on a stage, and as it's non-competitive, something that’s ideal for beginners. With workshops during the day and the opportunity to watch other performances, it's a fantastic day out to encourage those players to keep on playing.”
Spencer from Maybury Primary School Brass Band, who took part in 2024, said: “It inspires me to get better and I just want to keep moving forwards. My favourite part was getting to play in front of lots of people and learning some new tunes.”
Enter Youth Fest 2025
Free to enter, school ensembles, training groups and youth bands from across London and beyond are encouraged to register quickly as places are limited.
Travel bursaries will also be available for participating schools on a first-come-first serve basis. This is a first come, first served entry system, so schools will be notified on the point of entering whether they have gained a place in the event.
Entries for Youth Fest 2025 will open on Monday 28 October 2024. Visit the Youth Fest page for further information.