All Points East (APE) Festival returns to Victoria Park this August bank holiday with chart-topping performances, fun fair attractions, local artisan food and amazing opportunities for young people.
Festival organisers AEG Presents have once again teamed up with East London Arts & Music (ELAM) college, inviting students between the ages of 16 and 19 to get involved in the world of festival planning and music creation.
“As the future of the industry, we feel it’s incredibly important to bring aspiring artists on board,” says All Points East organiser, Darcey Jackson. “This is a unique opportunity for them to kickstart their professional careers, showcase the variety of young talent that’s around London, and for us to learn from them about what young people today want to see happening at UK festivals.”
Learning from music business professionals
Interns from the college will shadow music professionals backstage, to discover what goes into organising a show, including main stage setup, lighting engineering, sound technology, event management, production and marketing.
“There’s a host of opportunities on offer to those interested in working within the music industry. It’s not just about being able to sing or play an instrument,” Darcey explains. “We offer a mix of paid part-time internships and work shadowing opportunities.
“Working alongside experienced individuals offers students invaluable insight and helps inspire them to think about their futures and goals.”
ELAM students that have previously worked at All Points East have gone on to further full-time employment in the music business.
Katy Hall, head of industry readiness at ELAM, says: “We aim to provide our students with industry-level experiences which they can then add to their training portfolio. Our collaboration with APE is the perfect place for them to learn from and observe top performing artists, real sound engineers, venue managers and festival organisers.
“They'll learn valuable problem-solving skills through real-life situations where the pressure is on and they can truly unearth their full potential.”
Taking part in music performances
Students will have the chance to perform at the festival across both weekends. In 2019, ELAM student Qbrick opened the main stage and later that day, fellow music student Izco, DJ'd to entertain the crowds.
The weekday programme, In The Neighbourhood, will also feature live music performances and family-friendly activities.
“We take great pride in working with the local community to create the welcoming and warm atmosphere All Points East is known and loved for,” Darcey explains. “It’s an amazing opportunity to showcase the excellent produce East London and its businesses offer, not to mention the top-tier talent of its young residents.
“The close bond we share with ELAM is part of APE’s commitment to the local community. Few young artists have an opportunity to perform at this level and we’re incredibly proud to help talented teens share their music and passion with all those in attendance."
Katy adds: “Our partnership with All Points East is one of the most important relationships we’ve nurtured. It's amazing to see how aligned we are when it comes to creating opportunities for young people, and the festival’s organisers share the college’s values regarding representation in the creative industries.
“It’s our job to ensure our students develop their skills, gain confidence and discover their voice, which is why we’re so thrilled with this collaboration and honoured to return to the festival again this year.”
Don't miss: House of Women
House of Women will be performing on the East Stage, as part of the main festival, on August 25. The all-girl rock band formed over a year ago and is made up of current ELAM music trainees and alumni. Members Kyla, Poppy, Kyrah, Betsy and Elsa have performed at Fiddlers Elbow, Off the Cuff, Trinity Art Gallery, Road Trip, Workshop and Open House. They've also produced an original track for the college's YouTube stream, ELAM sessions.
Book tickets for All Points East Festival
All Point East Festival will take place in Victoria Park in East London from August 19 to 28, 2022.
Festival-goers can enjoy performances from world-class performers across the event’s four stages, including Gorillaz, Tame Impala, The Chemical Brothers, Kraftwerk, Disclosure, The National, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, and many more.
For the full line-up, events programme and to purchase tickets for All Points East Festival and the In the Neighbourhood community event, visit allpointseastfestival.com.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here