Emerge Festival 2024

EMERGE was a free youth festival created by and for young people in Southampton, taking over Hoglands Park on Saturday 7 September 2024 with live music, DJs, creative workshops and activities.

Produced and delivered by SoCo Music Project, with funding and wider project support from Southampton Forward, EMERGE grew out of an extensive programme of engagement with young people across the city. Over several months, SoCo worked with young people to explore what they wanted from a festival and supported them to shape its programme, performers, activities and overall experience.

In total, 300 young people were engaged in developing EMERGE, with 12 young people taking a leading role in delivering the festival in Hoglands Park.

Music was at the heart of the day. Two stages showcased emerging bands, musicians, solo artists and DJs, with 18 young artists performing and providing a platform for some of Southampton’s next generation of musical talent.

Alongside the live performances, the festival included creative workshops and interactive activities, including graffiti and singing, as well as stalls from local independent traders.

For the young people involved, EMERGE provided opportunities to develop skills, gain practical experience, perform in front of live audiences and take genuine ownership of a public event. As performers Kiddo and Blanks reflected:

“Today was my first time performing at EMERGE, it’s been nerve-racking but brilliant. It brings the youth to come and show their talent, show who they are, it has given us an opportunity to shine.”

From the early conversations about what young people wanted from a festival through to the event in Hoglands Park, EMERGE put their ideas, creativity and talent at the centre – with SoCo supporting young people to turn those ideas into a festival of their own.