£15,000 grant to help city festival offer even more

‘It’s going to really help us offer a wide variety of activities that will appeal to and engage the widest possible audience’

Festival organisers are celebrating a £15,000 Arts Council cash boost for their popular City Sound Project.

CSP sees bars and pubs across Canterbury staging live acts over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

Organisers have also secured use of more unusual venues for poetry readings and craft workshops, such as the Beaney, the Eastbridge Hospital crypt and the 800-year-old Greyfriars Chapel.

While most attractions are ticketed, CSP has established a reputation for offering free community events alongside.

Arts Council England has awarded the team the cash to roll out the community element and diversify its programme.

Headline acts at this year’s CSP, held on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, include Mike Skinner, Mystery Jets, Redlight, Big Narstie and Riton.

Festival-goers will have wristbands giving them access to every CSP venue, encouraging them to move across the city and enjoy different places and events.

But alongside, the organisers are offering workshops, family areas and food stalls – some ticketed and some free of charge.

Stuart O’leary, festival cofounder, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant.

“It’s going to really help us offer a wide variety of activities that will appeal to and engage the widest possible audience”.

Community acts at this year’s CSP include rapper Dizraeli, Dan Harding, and Tongue Fu, a spoken word event.

Edd Withers, a spokesman for the festival team, said: “The heritage venues make City Sound Project a unique festival.

“Staging live music in beautiful 800-year-old buildings is incredibly special, exciting and a real privilege.”

For more information visit www.citysoundproject.com