We are heartbroken that due to the Covid-19 pandemic our long time venue DIY Space For London has had to close it’s doors in Bermondsey. Hopefully, they will find a new home, but until then First Timers Fest needs help! We were an extension of DIY Space, financially as well as physically. Their doors closing means that to put on the fest will cost a lot more money, money that we no longer have. First Timers is run by a small group of unpaid volunteers and it costs a lot to run! 


What is First Timers?


First Timers is an annual series of workshops that ends in a gig where every band plays it’s first show! Our aim is to demystify and diversify DIY music, and we encourage total beginners. With this in mind, although anyone can attend workshops, our criteria for participating in the festival is as follows. At least TWO statements must apply:


One or more people in a band must have never played in a band before.
One or more people in a band must have never performed that role in a band before (e.g if a shy bassist want’s to have a go on vocals)
One or more people in a band must be a person of colour or LGBTQIA+ or disabled (visible or nonvisible) or a woman or a marginalised ethnicity, or some or many of these things!

Here's our website for more info

http://www.firsttimers.org/?fbclid=IwAR3-qe963fb6OfaOrsGGiIMaEriUUqFwWS2B1htY5obwoXl-vO0AV7DEtJI

Updated costs based on quotes from venue
Our fundraising goal is £2500

It costs £70 to pay a teacher for a workshop (we aim to put on around 12) 
It will cost £25 per hour including soundworker where needed to hire a venue for a workshop
Total workshop costs  = £1590
contingency for Taxis for transporting instruments and volunteer travel costs approximately
£380
It will cost £120 to pay for artwork for the posters 
£20 approximately printing costs for posters
£20 approximately printing costs for accessible lyric booklets 
The venues are are looking at charge £25ph for putting on the fest = £400
This all comes to £2410
We have increased the target to £2500 to allow for any additional unexpected costs that might dcrop up. 

Workshops and the fest are still ticketed (though no one is turned away for lack of funds) which will provide us with the funds we need to prepare for the following year. 

Any extra funds we might make above our goal will go towards future plans of which we have many. For example, printing T Shirts, having storage and our own instruments, working with other cities across the UK who want to host first timers, and outreach- we have big plans we would love to finance!

At the moment we are figuring out when or if we can put on person to person workshops, but are looking at doing some online stuff. We are hoping very much that the fest can go ahead next year, with in real life workshops. This in mind, we also welcome more volunteers, particularly people who can help with fundraising, press and outreach so if you’d like to get involved please contact us via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or our email which is on our website.

https://www.facebook.com/FirstTimersLDN/
https://www.instagram.com/firsttimersfest/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/FirstTimersFest

Here's a mini doc about us! shot / edited by Sophie Cooper.




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