Supporting Local Talent

Supporting local talent has always been important to Victorious, and we work with some brilliant local promotors to ensure there are opportunities at the festival for local bands and performers.  Since 2017 over 1700 slots have been filled by local performers. We’re so proud to come from a city thriving with creativity and providing a platform for people to gain experience, and exposure and share what they do with an audience is incredibly important to us.

 “Since we started Victorious Festival, we have always had a strong commitment to supporting local and unsigned talent.  Being locals ourselves, this is the very place we started out on our own music endeavours, and we feel it’s important to help try and nurture the future generations of music talent in the area. In addition to providing a platform for local and unsigned performers to showcase their music, the festival also offers a range of support, including links with local promoters and venues alongside our newly launched ‘Road to Victorious’ project.  

Victorious attracts thousands of music fans each year, many of whom are eager to discover new talent. For local and unsigned performers, this can be a fantastic opportunity to attract new fans and build a following, as well as provide a platform to perform in front of large crowds and gain valuable experience.

Another benefit we believe of performing at Victorious Festival, is the networking opportunities. The festival attracts a wide range of music industry professionals, from agents and promoters to record label representatives. For our local and unsigned performers, this can potentially be an excellent opportunity to meet people who can help further their music career. Many artists are seen by other promoters and subsequently given opportunities to perform at other shows throughout the year.

During a recent talk at the Academy of Contemporary Music, one of the country’s leading music academies, one of the students informed me he was from Portsmouth and that the reason he first picked up a guitar was because he had attended Victorious Festival with his parents.  He had fallen in love with music from that very moment and wanted to take up playing music. It’s hearing stories of positivity like that, that make it feel like we’re really having a tangible benefit to the next generation of young musicians.

As the festival continues to grow and evolve, we are hopeful that it will continue to play a key role in supporting local music talent for years to come.”

Ben Miles (Co-founder & Head of Live Production)

“Victorious Festival was built on a foundation of amazing unsigned performers. Some came from Portsmouth, some were just passing through, and others we have adopted as our own, simply because they are such incredible performers.

As the Festival has grown, so have the unsigned smaller stages, allowing us to bring in many more performers.  Giving performers just starting out the opportunity to be on the same line-up as the artists they look up to and admire, or have grown up listening to, is an experience that many will never forget. Some are now already set on a similar path to how their influences started.

We look forward to seeing many more performers following in the footsteps of those who have already graced the stages here at the festival.  If you are visiting Victorious this year, check out the smaller stages and see some amazing unsigned talent from Portsmouth and across the UK.”

Nick Courtney (Local Promoter & Booker)

ROAD TO VICTORIOUS
In 2023 we launched The Road to Victorious. An exciting talent competition open to acts who reside in the PO postcode area only. The prize is the ultimate band experience, with festival slots at Truck, Tramlines, Kendall Calling and Victorious, touring bus & crew, recording time, and advice from industry experts.

This competition not only gives an act the chance to enjoy some amazing experiences but also provides a fantastic platform to further homegrown success. You can find out more about the 2023  winners Crystal Tides and their journey HERE.

This year’s winner, Harvey Jay Dodgson‘s journer has only just begun. So keep an eye on our social media pages to hear more about his road to Victorious experience!