Organisers of FORWARDS 2023 have confirmed the dates the festival will be returning to Bristol. The city's newest music festival saw thousands of festivalgoers head to the Downs last September to see the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Little Simz, Charlie XCX, Fred Again.. and Kae Tempest.
Team Love is the company behind FORWARDS, which has replaced The Downs Festival, welcoming 30,000 people for an all-day event. The company is also the brains behind Love Saves The Day and the famous flaming spider Arcadia at Glastonbury.
FORWARDS festival has finally given a weekend for your diaries, announcing the second instalment of the festival will take place on Friday, September 1 and Saturday 2. Tickets are due to go on sale over the next few weeks.
Read more: Brand new festival in Bristol opens gates to thousands in Clifton Downs
On social media, the festival said: "More than just a music festival, FORWARDS looks to challenge what metropolitan festivals can be today and how they can do good, from the inside out. The 2-day festival aims to harness the power of live events to bring people together for incredible music moments and lasting positive change."
Organisers have so far kept their cards close to their chest about this year's event, with 2022 seeing two music stages and another panel discussion stage. The lineup is due to be released in the coming weeks, promising some of the biggest names in international music as well as a whole host of speakers for social change at the Information Stage.
Those looking to reflect on last year's festival and gear up for 2023 will be able to see photographs in a pop-up exhibition at Trinity Centre in partnership with FORWARDS And Big Team CIC. Capture FORWARDS climates some of the moments from the event, on display this week only from Thursday, February 23 - Saturday February 25.
As part of the 2022 edition, festival organisers created a programme called Capture FORWARDS providing young, aspiring photographers with a platform entry into the music, events and festival industry to those who historically haven't been able to access it. Four photographers - Naomi Williams, Megan Tsz Kiu Ip, Jade Ayino and Ismael Abdi - took part in a workshop and mentorship programme with professional photographers leading onto a paid placement over the weekend of FORWARDS 2022.
Megan Tsz Kiu Ip said: “Capture Forwards was my first opportunity at festival photography and it was the perfect platform for me to stretch my photography skills and connect with fellow creatives. After Capture FORWARDS, I have gotten more opportunities to photograph events and I’m grateful to those who made the program possible.”
Since this project, every one of the participants is now working as a photographer in the industry. Championing grassroots and supporting new talent is an integral cog in Big Team CIC's ethos and this exhibition is the ultimate opportunity to showcase the encompassed investment in the four photographers.
Phoebe Holman of Big Team CIC said: "Big Team’s goal is to create accessible pathways into the creative industries and we are utilising Team Love's flagship events as the perfect place and route to create these opportunities. Capture FORWARDS was born out of a need for more diverse representation in the photography world. Through this programme we’ve been able to develop skills, and create an environment in which applicants can meet other professionals, learn and connect."
FORWARDS returns to Clifton Downs on September 1-2, 2023
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