A platform to showcase Bristol talent: Bristol Business Improvement Districts to support next generation of local musical talent at Bristol Harbour Festival

With the 2023 edition of the Bristol Harbour Festival taking place next month, Bristol City Centre BID and Redcliffe & Temple BID have invested in the iconic city event to provide an enhanced platform to put local Bristol musical talent centre stage.

Leading city audio technology education organisation, dBs Institute, and independent music training provider, Access Creative College, will be pivotal partners in this year’s Bristol Harbour Festival, which takes place between 14 - 16 July 2023, with paid festival work opportunities offered to dBs students. Attracting 250,000 visitors each year to enjoy over one mile of entertainment over five performance areas, students will be able to get involved in roles from artist liaison and stage management to social and event management. 

Access Creative College, the organisation that owns dBs Music, will deliver this year's newly imagined entertainment zone, Harbour View, which will take place at Lloyds Amphitheatre. A fantastic spot to enjoy a bite to eat from the food court, music will cover all genres offering something for those young and young at heart to enjoy - all from the next generation of local Bristol talent. The perfect place to promenade alongside moored vessels and look out onto the stunning setting of Bristol’s floating harbour, Access Creative College students will be at the heart of the action at the event. 

Bristol City Centre BID and Redcliffe & Temple BID will also work closely alongside the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, as this year’s iconic Circus Playground is being delivered as one of the activities under the programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love Our High Streets project. The Circus Playground will see Cirque Bijou once again bring tricks and trapeze, children’s entertainment and pop-up performances and put them centre stage at brand new city green space, College Green.

Vicky Lee, Head of Bristol City Centre BID, said: “Footfall increased between 30% and 40% across the city centre during the Bristol Harbour Festival weekend in 2022. Encouraging visitors into the city is an important part of the recovery programme for businesses so the event is truly fantastic in helping to deliver this key objective. As such, we’re delighted to support this year’s Harbour Festival and put local Bristol talent ever further on the map in what is a city with a truly musical heart.” 

Steve Bluff, Head of Redcliffe & Temple BID, said: “Along with showcasing the next generation of musical talent in the city, our support of the event will also see our businesses brought ever-more into the Bristol Harbour Festival, with entertainment and special offers from restaurants and bars listed on the Bristol Harbour Festival website.”

Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees said: “It’s fantastic to be working alongside the BIDs to further support local businesses and see them partake in one of Bristol’s biggest events, as well as put young people pride of place in such a lynchpin weekend for our city. The talent we’ll see on the Harbour View stage is sure to return again and again over the years, and already forms an instrumental part of our city’s musical DNA.

“With all of the events planned across the summer under the City Centre and High Streets Culture and Events programme we aim to build on the success of last year where we attracted over 75,000 visitors to the city centre, generated almost £1.4 million of additional spend in Bristol’s businesses and supported 216 paid jobs in culture and events, all from an investment of £310,000.” 

Bristol Harbour Festival fans can also look forward to the Jelli Shack, which will take over Millennium Square, providing chilled-out beach-bar vibes with an acoustic programme brought to you by the team at Jelli Records. Featuring an abundance of Bristol talent, the Jelli Shack will also have dodgems and refreshments, making this an ultimate spot to bask in the sunshine. 

On the Water entertainment will return to the Harbour Festival, bringing the water at the heart of our city to life with activities showcasing maritime-magic from jet ski stunts to the iconic Pyrounaut showing off its skills.  

Bristol’s Georgian Queen Square will transform into the Music Quarter; curated by Harbour Festival programming legend, Tony Benjamin. This space will kick start the festival on Friday night and will also feature the brightest talent from Access Creative College alongside established acts.

Full programming information will be announced soon on the festival website at www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk.
Bristol Harbour Festival is part of Bristol 650, a year-long celebration of all things Bristol: who we are, where we come from, what we’ve done - and where we’re going.