Kings Jam Festival

As strategic partners in Together Gloucester,  GUST has a broad role to provide support where we are most needed, such as: 

  • Participate in strategic partnership conversations to develop and deliver the programme 

  • Provide mentoring to organisations and individuals who emerge from the programme 

  • Offer incubation opportunities to organisations that want to apply for funding but need support 

  • Support the development of a talent pipeline programme ensuring the programme works for young people. 

Out of this, we were commissioned by the programme to work with the founders of the Kings Jam Festival to develop a sustainable business model to ensure its future. 

Established in 2017, Kings Jam Festival has developed an enviable reputation as Gloucester’s leading music festival for young people. With 70% of the audience under-25 the Festival has also supported over 100 young people in developing cultural event production expertise. The Festival is committed to partnership working with local community organisations and has provided a platform for more than 200 local artists.

GUST worked with a steering group consisting of the founders, a group of committed young people and an external consultant to look at the best model to transition the Festival from operating under The Music Works to becoming an independent cultural organisation. Their vision was clear – to create the region’s first fully youth-led festival championing Black music, establishing a blueprint for genuine cultural co-ownership that transforms how young people engage with and lead arts events.  And it has long been identified as a flagship Festival so its future development is important to the strategic growth of the city.   

Watch this space!