JUMP START ROUND 1 GRANT RECIPIENTS
The team at BLOC are delighted to announce our first Round of Jump Start Grant Recipients, we would like to thank everyone who applied to Jump Start, the response to this first round was huge and has demonstrated the incredible variety of creative projects, businesses and music making taking place across the region.
Hearing about your projects has given us a better understanding than ever about the challenges facing independent artists and businesses on a day to day basis, and will help us shape our future programmes to be as impactful as possible.
Now, time to meet the Jump Starters!
LampPost.live (LP.L) is a Southampton-founded events promoter dedicated to bringing communities together through a shared love of music. Built on a foundation of authentic curation, the LP.L team delivers a diverse range of experiences, from high-energy Jungle club nights to band showcases and relaxed ‘LampLite’ Jazz Lounge sessions.
Beyond their programmed events, LP.L works to champion emerging local talent. Their regular social open deck nights offer a supportive platform for up-and-coming DJs to land their very first gigs.
Air N Electricity is a Southampton-based creative studio and cultural platform dedicated to championing alternative, experimental and contemporary music, art, and culture. Building on their multidisciplinary Diaspora Unbound events, the platform they have built connects artists and audiences by curating collaborative projects that blend live music performances, visual art, fashion, and marketplaces.
Their next initiative will be aimed at connecting communities across cities, with an exciting new event series which will build the foundations for lasting cultural exchanges and community relationships.
Kushtii is a dedicated R&B showcase event series based on the South Coast. With a focus on urban music curation and artist promotion, specifically aimed at addressing the shortage of dedicated, accessible high-quality opportunities for R&B artists to perform original material.
Fresh off their launch event at The Alexandra in Southampton, Kushtii nights will give local artists the opportunity to showcase their original work to new live audience, and bring grassroots R&B into different venues across the region.
CTRL FR34KS is a woman-led DJ collective and events platform focused on creating opportunities, visibility, and community for female DJs and artists within the electronic music scene.
They have recently launched their first series of events, with the aim of providing a supportive and empowering environment where women can develop their skills, gain performance experience, build industry connections, and grow their personal brands.
Pink Skies is an independent promoter operating across the South Coast, known for creating intimate acoustic events that nurture and platform developing artists. By focusing on personal, artist-led experiences, Pink Skies helps audiences discover new talent and alternative genres.
Each Pink Skies event is recorded and edited by the team, providing accessible, high-quality content that helps artists grow their online audience. These sessions are available free on their YouTube Channel.
IYO LIVE is a Southampton-based Afrocentric arts and culture platform that uses music, visual art and curated experiences to spotlight diverse perspectives, foster cultural exchange, and celebrate unity.
Focused on Black identity, IYO deliver unique cultural events designed to engage underrepresented communities, encourage social dialogue, and help establish a more inclusive, sustainable creative ecosystem locally and beyond.