Fusion Fest 2026: A festival created by young people

On 4 – 5 July, Bristol Beacon handed over its stages to the city’s young people for Fusion Fest: a brand-new, youth-led music festival.

Created by a team of young people, for everyone, the venue was filled with an incredible energy, as more than 500 young artists took over the building for two unforgettable days.

From groundbreaking orchestral collaborations and immersive choral performances to reggae jams, DJs, rappers, workshops, family crafts and emerging bands, there was something exciting around every corner.

Highlights included the headline performance, Live and Loud: Symphonic Sessions , featuring an 100-strong youth ensemble premiering brand-new orchestral arrangements of original music by Gracie Samara, rapper, Lei.zy, singer-songwriter, and Austin, electronic producer. The sheer talent and energy in this bold, pop-electronic-orchestral fusion was utterly breathtaking!

On Sunday evening, Choral Soundscapes: An Immersive Experience saw more than 200 singers from Bristol Youth Choir and alumni transform Beacon Hall into an immersive environment, culminating in the world premiere of a special commission by composer Anna Appleby, inspired by Bristol itself. Earlier that day, Massive Come and Play with National Children’s Orchestras invited 80 young musicians aged 7-11 to take part in super fun, large-scale workshop!

A huge thank you to every performer, participant and partner who helped make Fusion Fest such a success. It was inspiring to see so many parts of our education and community programmes come together under one roof – from Bristol Youth Orchestra and Bristol Youth Studios to Hope Creative, our work with care experienced young people, the debut performance of the Beacon Session Singers and so much more! It was so special to see so many of our groups coming together in one big unforgettable celebration of youth talent and amazing collaboration.

We’re also so proud of the young people whose ideas shaped the festival from the very beginning. From the Youth Advisory Committee, who helped create the festival’s identity, to the brilliant social media takeovers, photography and behind-the-scenes work experience, their voices were centre stage throughout all aspects of the weekend.

Photography by Jessie Myers, Soul Media