Live Music at the Buttermarket

Aim

For the first time in 14 years, free music is at risk. Help us bring it to Rye this August Bank Holiday weekend.

If you've enjoyed the Buttermarket performances in previous years, discovered a new favourite artist, danced in the sunshine, met friends old and new, or simply enjoyed seeing Rye come alive with music, we hope you'll consider supporting this campaign.

For 14 years, the Rye Jazz & Blues Festival has brought world-class music to the heart of this wonderful historic town. 

At the heart of the festival has always been a commitment to making great live music accessible to everyone. Alongside our ticketed headline concerts, the free music programme has become a much-loved part of the weekend, creating a vibrant atmosphere where residents, visitors, families and music lovers can come together and enjoy outstanding performances without barriers.

Like many arts and community events across the UK, we are facing an increasingly difficult funding environment. Rising costs, reduced grant funding opportunities and a challenging sponsorship market have left us unable to secure the support needed to deliver the free music programme in its usual format for 2026.

Rather than see the Buttermarket fall silent this summer, we're asking our festival community to help.

Our vision is simple: to bring free live music to the heart of Rye during the 2026 August Bank Holiday weekend. With your support, we hope to present a programme of free performances at the Buttermarket on Sunday 30 and Bank Holiday Monday 31 August, helping to create the vibrant festival atmosphere that so many people have come to love.

We need to raise a minimum of £8,000 to make the 2 days happen.

Every pound raised will go directly towards the costs of delivering the free music programme, including:

🎷 Artist fees
🎷 Buttermarket hire
🎷 Road closure costs
🎷 Medical cover and event safety requirements
🎷 PA and sound equipment hire
🎷 Signage and event infrastructure

This is not about generating profit. It is about covering the essential costs required to deliver safe, professional, high-quality free live music for the community.

Together, we can help keep live music at the heart of Rye.

Thank you for your support.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 9th July 2026 at 6:07pm