A chance to perform at this year’s Leeds and Reading Festival is on offer to young musicians as Martin House Hospice Care for Children and Young People launches its Centre Stage 2018 competition.
Now in its ninth year, Centre Stage is the most prestigious music competition in Yorkshire, giving young bands and solo artists the chance to perform in front of thousands at one of the country’s biggest music festivals, with slots in both Reading and Leeds.
Since it was first launched in 2009, Centre Stage has won the support of Yorkshire bands including Embrace, The Cribs, Pigeon Detectives and Pulled Apart by Horses, while raising more than £210,000 for the hospice.
Sarah Smith, Centre Stage organiser, said:
There are hundreds of talented young musicians in Yorkshire, and this is an incredible opportunity for them to make their mark in front of music industry experts.
But it’s also a chance for them to make a real difference to children from their area, who have complex and life-limiting conditions. It’s about young people helping young people.
Bands and solo artists entering the competition get the chance to compete in a series of heats at Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen in Leeds on 24th, 25th and 26th April.
Entrants must be aged 22 or under, and every band or solo artist who enters is asked to raise a minimum of £400 for Martin House.
The finalists have a professional mentoring day, before going on to play at the O2 Academy in Leeds on Thursday 26th July, where the winners are chosen by a panel of music industry experts.
Martin House cares for children and young people with life-limiting conditions from North, West and East Yorkshire, along with their families. It offers respite stays, as well as support in their own homes and bereavement care to families.
Sarah added:
We would like to thank Festival Republic for its continued support, which allows us to offer this unique prize.
Registration is open now, and musicians can find out more about the competition, full terms and conditions, and register online at www.martinhouse.org.uk/Centre-Stage
