Liverpool’s brand new music festival has enlisted the help of one of one of the city’s leading music champions.
Yaw Owusu has joined the Liverpool International Music Festival team, taking on the role of Music Curator for the overall programme.
The ambitious 29 year old is renowned for banging the drum about new music talent in the city, and is the Executive Director of youth culture organisation URBEATZ, record label manager of Nothin But The Music and is the Director of creative solutions company The Playmaker Group.
In his new role he will be tasked with shining a spotlight on new, up and coming talent and pulling an inspirational programme together of diverse talent who will perform on the outdoor stages and in indoor venues across the city.
At the same time, Yaw will make sure there is a celebration of the city’s musical heritage with acts who recreate the sound of the Beatles and those inspired by the Merseybeat era.
Yaw said: “As someone who lives in and loves Liverpool, I am very excited to be named Music Curator of the first annual Liverpool International Music Festival.
“The festival will focus on great music, artists and performance and being able to bring my expertise and energy to this project is an honour.
“We will celebrate both past and present excellence as well as established and emerging artists and music forms. This is a special music and culture festival vision and programme inspired by a very special musical city which I foresee being enjoyed by a wider range of people than ever before.”
Yaw, who lives in Orrell Park, has worked with international brands including Sony, Universal, Nike and Radio 1Xtra, as well as artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Damian Marley and Wiley.
He has also worked with the team behind the MOBOs, Liverpool Sound City, Africa Oye, the 02 Academy Liverpool, FACT and Brouhaha Festival.
Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for culture and tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “We are delighted that Yaw has joined the team and is a really credible name to programme this event.
“When we advertised the role, we were looking for someone with an in-depth knowledge of the Liverpool music scene, experience of working on other large-scale projects and a passion for the city – and we have found all this and so much more in Yaw.
“He will be working with the godfathers of Liverpool’s music scene – Bill Heckle and Dave Jones – and together we’re confident the Liverpool International Music Festival will be a true celebration on music past, present and future.”
The Liverpool International Music Festival will take place in August. Celebrations will kick off when music legends Neil Young & Crazy Horse perform at the Echo Arena.
During the bank holiday weekend (Friday 23 – Monday 26) there will be three outdoor stages – two at the Pier Head and one at Sefton Park which will see the internationally acclaimed Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and chief conductor Vasily Petrenko take to the park stage.
More events with private sector partners will take place throughout August, and following collaboration with local, national and international partners the programme is set to be announced in May.
One of the key aspects of the new festival is to give producers in the city the chance to get involved with the event, along with other music organisations who can all work together to put on a diverse programme.
For the latest news about Culture Liverpool, like Culture Liverpool on Facebook or follow Culturelpool on Twitter.
