Fundraiser to save city jazz festival next year
ORGANISERS of Birmingham’s cancelled Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival have pleaded for one last push to reach a £40,000 fundraising target to stage the event next year.
The pandemic put paid to this year’s festival, which normally draws a huge crowd to Moseley.
The 2021 festival, set to take place in Moseley Park on July 9-11, is to be headlined by Neneh Cherry. Also on the bill are The Fatback Band, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Wailers and Craig Charles.
But organisers have lost tens of thousands in unrecoverable costs this year, threatening next year’s event as a result. A spokesman said: “It has been over 10 years since Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul started out as a small two-day event for 1,000 people in the heart of Birmingham. It has now grown into the summer party get together for thousands of people from across the UK and beyond.
“Sadly, due to the coronavirus outbreak, there will be no
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival in 2020.
“This means we have lost a year’s worth of revenue as well as a whole host of unrecoupable costs already spent on the 2020 event. In short, it has left a huge financial hole for the festival.
“As it stands there hasn’t been much financial support for UK festivals. Though we’re very grateful for the Governmentbacked loans, these still need to be repaid. This is a huge burden for an independent company in a very challenging sector. “Therefore, we are turning to our community to help us secure the future of Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul by pledging to our crowdfunder.”
The spokesman added: “Thanks to the immense generosity of many, it’s looking hopeful that the independent festival will be able to continue in 2021 and weather the Covid-19 storm which has laid ruin to this year’s entire festival season.
“The clock is really ticking, but with just over £5,000 to go, we reckon this is do-able with your help.”