A Paisley artist has raised more than £1300 for cancer charity in one-day fan convention celebrating Canada’s finest musical exports.
After two years of cancelled live events due to the Covid-19 pandemic RUSHfest Scotland re-emerged this year with their most ambitious programme to date.
It was a three-day rocking extravaganza held in Glasgow, featuring musicians from around the world.
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The main full-day event took place in the stunning Barras Art and Design to a sold-out crowd of over 400 guests who raised over £15,000 for Cancer Support Scotland.
Paisley artist Lauren Kerr donated three original art pieces, one of each band member, to the auction with funds going to the charity.
Both Lauren and her husband Daniel Graham volunteered over the weekend.
Lauren told the Express: “Seeing how RUSHfest Scotland has evolved over the years since attending the debut event as a punter in 2014 is very exciting.
“Not only creating original paintings to be donated to the event, but for those pieces to raise £1310 exclusively as part of the charity auction, is truly humbling.”
Event founder, Steve Brown added: “These events are always great fun and emotional – this year was extra special.
“Being a lifelong fan of Rush is more than just enjoying their music. Often hailed as “the biggest band you’ve never heard of” Rush had a career spanning 40 years and 20 albums – selling out the SECC in Glasgow whenever they toured Europe. I’ve made a lot of great friends through our mutual love for this band – and for us all to be able to meet up again after lockdown was truly magical.
“We’d chosen Cancer Support Scotland as our charity back in 2019.
“We look forward to donating more to them over the next 12 months, from sales of our Songs For Neil albums and 2023 events.”
RUSHfest Scotland is an annual fan convention celebrating one of Canada’s finest exports – the rock band RUSH, with all profits going to cancer charities. To date over £78,000 has been donated to various organisations supporting people with and affected by the disease.
Founded in 2013 by musician, Steve Brown, these events took place annually up until 2019.
When the pandemic struck, Steve shifted focus and continued to raise money for charity by producing the “Songs For Neil” albums – compilations of Rush songs played by Rush tribute bands from around the world – made to celebrate the life of Neil Peart, Rush’s drummer who tragically died in 2020 from Glioblastoma brain tumour.
“Songs For Neil Vol.3” is due for release on September 12, with profits from these albums being donated to Cancer Support Scotland and The Glioblastoma Foundation Neil Peart Research Award in North Carolina, USA.
Cancer Support Scotland CEO, Rob Murray, added “We rely on the generosity of the public and amazing people like Steve and the gang at RUSHfest Scotland. “Without their amazing efforts, we simply wouldn’t be able to continue our vital work to support those across Scotland who are affected by cancer.
“Our services remain free to access for those who need us, when they need us most and we provide much needed wellbeing support including counselling, befriending, mindfulness session and we are very excited to be re launching our Complementary therapy service this week too, all which would not be possible without this incredible boost of much needed funds from RUSHfest Scotland.
“We are truly grateful for their ongoing support, what an amazing achievement to have raised and donated more than £27,000 to date to our small Scottish charity! We are very much looking forward to continuing to work together. Thank you!”
Information and Songs For Neil albums are available from: www.RUSHfestScotland.co.uk.
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