Reading Festival, ActionAid, and Under The Radar launch new unsigned competition

Reading Festival 2013

Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th August 2013
Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8EQ, England MAP
£202.50 - SOLD OUT

Daily capacity: 90,000

The anti-poverty charity ActionAid, in partnership with Reading Festival and Under The Radar, have launched a competition entitled ‘Music Speaks’ giving a young unsigned artist in the UK the opportunity to travel to one of its projects in Nairobi, Kenya and partner a young unsigned Kenyan artist.

ActionAid, who help the poorest and most vulnerable people in the developing world, will team up the winning unsigned UK artist with a young unsigned Kenyan artist to collaborate on a track with a positive social message.

The winner will also be mentored by this year's Sarurday main stage guests Chase & Status, who will accompany them to Kenya.

The competition is open to all UK based unsigned vocalists or MCs aged 16-24 who can write their own lyrics. Entering is easy, all you need to do is visit the ActionAid Bollocks To Poverty page here.

Deadline for entries is the Tuesday 1^st October 2013.

There is 60% youth unemployment in Kenya and for most young people living in Korogocho, finishing secondary school is a challenge. However the slums of Korogocho are sprawling with musical talent and thanks to ActionAid and Reading Festival, the young people in the community are given the opportunity to express themselves as artists, helped to build their skills and earn an income through their music.

The winner will have the incredible chance to see firsthand exactly what ActionAid, with support from Reading Festival, are doing to fight poverty and empower young people in the Korogocho slum in Kenya to promote positive social change.

Chase & Status commented, "We're honoured to be working with ActionAid on the Music Speaks competition, it's a fantastic project and we're looking forward to hearing the competition entries. We're excited to travel to Kenya and work with young British and Kenyan talent, and to produce some great music at the end of it all."

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic and Reading Festival added, "This really is a unique and incredible competition for one unsigned UK artist. Reading Festival has supported ActionAid for 12 years, as well as offering a platform for emerging talent through the BBC Introducing and Festival Republic Stages, so I’m really excited that we can combine the two through this competition. I’m thrilled that Chase & Status are on board to offer their guidance and support to the artists."

Reading and Leeds Festivals happen over the bank holiday weekend, from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th August with a limited number of tickets still available for Leeds Festival.

Tickets for Reading have sold out. Weekend tickets for Leeds are priced at £202.50 including camping, day tickets (where available) are priced at £90.00. Early entry permits are priced at £15.00, with campervan permits priced at £60, and lockers £16. Reading car parking is priced at £5.

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Children under 13 (12 and under) are admitted free but MUST be accompanied by a ticket holding adult. Please note there is no separate children's area at this event, and eFestivals considers this an event not really suitable for small children.

The festival line-up includes UK festival exclusive headliners Green Day, Eminem, and Biffy Clyro, plus UK festival exclusive performances from Fall Out Boy, System Of A Down and Deftones, as well as Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Knife Party, Skrillex, Major Lazer, Azealia Banks, Foals, Jake Bugg, Bring Me The Horizon, Fall Out Boy, Alt-J, Deftones, Frank Turner, A$AP Rocky, The Strypes, Disclosure, The 1975, The Blackout, Theme Park, Hadouken!, Palma Violets, Twin Atlantic, Chase & Status, Haim, Peace, Deap Vally, Sub Focus, and more.

Reading Festival takes place at Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, and Leeds Festival takes place at Bramham Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire. For the line-up details, and stage splits, where available, please click here for Reading, and click here for Leeds.

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