Coastal Currents builds Hastings Music network
Local arts festival Coastal Currents (CC) will receive Arts Council funding for 2024, having self-funded in 2023. CC say half the new money will allow the return of young and early-career musicians’ support platform Audiotrope, founded in 2020. Previously Audiotrope has helped create hundreds of live performances, including studio sessions and live streams by local bands such as Hot Wax, Blue Stragglers, and Wild Horse.
Now Audiotrope can forge ahead offering free studio and mastering sessions with associated promotion and workshops for under 25s. The platform has also created the Audiotrope Charter – guidance for venues and bookers to set a baseline code of treatment which aims to support the livelihoods of musicians and safeguard the future of grassroots live music.
The Charter asks venues to sign up (free), with the promise of a connected destination marketing strategy, spearheaded by the placemaking organisation running Audiotrope – Sweet and Dandy Ltd. This would promote the area’s live music as a whole, not just focus on a small selection of favoured artists.
The remaining Arts Council funds will ensure CC enjoys another year. There will be the classic Open Studios trail, and a varied events programme involving local partners from Romney Marsh in the east, to Eastbourne in the west and Robertsbridge in the north, further complemented by a curated programme from the festival itself.
Keep an eye on audiotrope.com or youtube.com/audiotrope for new performances as they happen, and support your local music economy by subscribing to individual musicians.
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