LOCAL musical talent will be given the chance to shine at this year's Freedom Festival. The three-day festival, in September, will welcome a new platform called the Bridge Stage which will host Hull's best up- and-coming bands.
Festival organisers are working closely with the local music scene to create the new stage, which hopes to provide a more prominent platform for local acts.
And top record label talent scouts have been invited to attend the festival, meaning some bands may catch the eye of top industry movers and shakers.
The stage has already won the support of Hull music royalty Paul Heaton, who says it will be a good opportunity for promising young talent to find a wider audience.
The former Beautiful South singer said: "The Bridge Stage at Freedom Festival is giving new artists the opportunity to meet and co-operate with other similar, like-minded talent.
"It's incredibly important that Hull harnesses its talent and displays it.
"The new stage does both, while giving the audience a real chance to see what music is making Hull sparkle at the moment."
Acts already lined up to appear on the stage, which will be located in Wellington Street, in the old Fruit Market area, include rising Hull bands such as Life, Endoflevelbaddie, Bud Sugar and Mother.
The Bridge Stage will also host a number of emerging national acts, including urban poet Kate Tempest, who recently performed at Glastonbury and whose album Everybody Down has won critical acclaim.
Nick Clarke, programme manager at Freedom organising company Walk the Plank, said: "We're incredibly excited about the Bridge Stage.
"Kate Tempest is a phenomenal talent who has blown people away with her spoken word performances over the past couple of years, and is now making even more of an impact with her music.
"We've invited industry insiders to watch the local artists play, and the artists will get the chance to meet industry experts at an event to discuss how to get wider exposure for their music.
"Freedom Festival is committed to valuing, supporting and promoting local talent and we feel that the Bridge Stage takes that commitment up a gear this year."
Graham Chesters, chairman of the Freedom Festival Board, said: "I've always said that local talent is the beating heart of the festival. It's brilliant to be able to provide a greater platform for that talent this year."
Mez Green, singer with rising Hull band Life, says it will be a "massive honour" to play on the Bridge Stage at this year's Freedom Festival.
He said: "Last year, when we played Freedom Festival, it was only our seventh gig, so to come back and headline the local section of the stage is huge for us.
"We've come a long way in the past year and played a lot of festivals, in Liverpool and Leeds and places like that, but coming home to Hull is extra special to us.
"We're really proud of Hull and fly the flag for the city wherever we go, all over the UK – especially now that we've got the UK City of Culture 2017 title to talk about.
"There's a lot to be proud of in Hull and I think a lot of it will be up on that stage at the Freedom Festival."
• Freedom Festival runs from September 5 to 7.
