Save The London Intl Ska Festival - Become a patron today!
Welcome to Part 2 of our Help Save The London Intl Ska Festival campaign. Last month we launched our first crowdfunder to help clear it's £79,000 worth of debt. I'm delighted say in 3 weeks we raised £11,620.78 from 181 supporters, becoming Patrons or just donating whatever they could afford. I've been receiving alot of emails asking if people can still support, so have decided to run the 'Become a Patron of The London Intl Ska Festival' campaign again.
I'm delighted to say that the first Patrons include fans from all over the world as well as bands & DJs that have previously played the festival; David Rodigan, Oxman (Soul Jazz/Dub Vendor), Pama International, Capone & The Bullets, Potato 5, The Riffs, Dapper Dan (Forest fm), Angus Taylor, Geoff Parker (Catch a Fire), The Bionic Rats, Paul Huxtable (Axis sound system), The Xplosions, Tim Dancecrasher (Tighten Up), Rootikal, Youri (Dub Front Association), Saul Walker (The Loafers), The Allsorts, Nanker Phelge (Time Tunnel).
Shops, record labels and business' have also been getting onboard with Dub Vendor, The Modfather Clothing Co, Do The Dog skazine, Supernova Festival, Johan Tackx (Reggae Geel), Matt Ingham (Cherry Red Records), Mike Williams (Dread Broadcasting Corporation), Specialized and Laurence Cane Honeysett (Trojan Records) all becoming patrons or donating.
I still have a long way to go (£67,379 to be precise), but all the support truly is appreciated and has been a massive boost to both the festival and myself.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Sean Flowerdew. I founded and run The London Int’l Ska Festival. Since it's launch in 1988 I have strived to create an unique and world class event, that does justice to the world of ska, rocksteady, reggae, 2 Tone and beyond. I’m honoured to have hosted hundreds of bands and DJs at some of the best venues London has to offer for 29 years!
Year on year the festival grows and attracts more people from all over the world. It has always astonished me that someone would fly from another continent for a weekend. It is truly fantastic to see so many international friendships, relationships, marriages and even families be born out of our festival.
Sadly it has become increasingly difficult to single handedly maintain the festival. A couple of bad financial years for the festival in 2011 and 2012 set me back personally by tens of thousands of pounds. Since then any profit just pays off past years debts. To make matters worse, what is a full time job can never provide a wage.
I love the festival. I love programming it. More then anything I want to keep the festival going and want it to grow in the way I know it can, but personally carrying debts year to year, which are now in excess of £79,000, has taken it’s toll. It has become impossible to fund the festival solely by myself.
To keep the London Intl Ska Festival not only alive, but continuing to thrive, I need to clear the debts. I have thought long and hard about seeking companies to invest or getting sponsorship but I know this would change the nature and integrity of what is a truly independent festival.
So, I’m reaching out to you, friends of the festival and fans of all things ska. I need your help to ensure it’s survival and growth.
I'm not asking for donations (although anything helps). I'm asking you to become part of the festival and invest in it. For now we’ve come up with four ways of supporting our festival, all based around becoming a patron.
Not only do your your money, but you can sleep happy in the knowledge that you've become part of, and supported what is a vital and historical festival.
Become a patron of The London Intl Ska Festival
- Become a patron for £25 (postcard option)
For this your name will be listed in the 2018/30th Anniversary Ska Festival book & you will receive a set of our 6 exclusive football team postcards.
- Become a patron for £40 (t-shirt option)
For this your name will be listed in the 2018/30th Anniversary Ska Festival book. You will also recieve a set of our 6 football team postcards and an exclusive screen printed t-shirt, designed by Peter O’Toole.
- Become a patron for £147.50 (ska festival wristband ticket option)
For this your name will be listed in the 2018/30th Anniversary Ska Festival book. You will also recieve a set of our 6 football team postcards and an exclusive screen printed t-shirt, designed by Peter O’Toole. AND a wristband ticket to The London International Ska Festival 2018. The wristband ticket will get you into all the 2018 festival events.
- Buy a Help Save the LISF pin badge for £3
The London Int’l Ska Festival 2018 will take place next Easter (29th March-1st April). If you can, please help us to celebrate our 30th Anniversary in the style we’ve all become accustomed to.
Thank you for reading & thank you for supporting!
Sean Flowerdew
The London Int’l Ska Festival