Festival2Funky is back with a 3-day festival, running from 28-30 May 2021, innovating across arts and music of Black origin.
Now in its eighth year, the festival will be hosted at 2Funky Music Café, The 2Funky Lounge and 2Funky Street Kitchen, in Leicester’s vibrant West End (subject to restrictions easing as planned).
Also running online, the festival will be part of a new cultural scene that has been profoundly reshaped by the global pandemic and the prominence of #BlackLivesMatter.
Festival2Funky will encompass hip hop, house, dub, jungle, afrobeat, jazz, soul, R&B, grime, ukg, reggae, drum & bass, trap, and more. Exhilarating live performances across these genres, will feature alongside masterclasses, DJ sets, and lots more.
This year, they will raise profiles of D/deaf, disabled, & neuro-diverse artists, as well as highlighting Black, African & Caribbean artists and audience perspectives.
Artist Commissions
2Funky Arts is on the lookout for three artists of Black, African or Caribbean descent, to develop exciting work on the theme of Nu Beginnings, which explores self-discovery, fresh perspectives and how change can be empowering and full of new possibilities. Applicants should be vocalists (MCs or singers), aged 18+, from the East Midlands (unsigned but with some performance experience). Each selected artist will be paid £300 to create a performance piece of 3 tracks in response to this theme, showcased as part of the festival.
Those selected will be mentored by Shezar, who has collaborated with Wretch 32, Grime MC Ghetts, and a host of others. A self-described ‘electronic soul diva,’ she has performed at BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend (BBC Introducing Stage), The Voice UK, and many more festivals/ events.
2Funky Arts Director Vijay Mistry said: “This is a great opportunity for emerging vocalists to receive expert guidance, hone their craft and raise their profile as part of an established arts festival.”
Festival2Funky runs from 28-30 May 2021
2Funky Music Café, The 2Funky Lounge and 2Funky Street Kitchen, New Park St, Leicester
Tickets at £5 per person (bookable in tables of 2/4/6) will soon be available via Skiddle, with selected events free to access online.
