The vibrant London borough of Dalston, once the pulsating heart of a robust Caribbean-led cultural infrastructure, profoundly shaped the understanding of community for Ben Ryan, founder of the acclaimed City Splash festival. Ryan, recalling his formative years in what he describes as a "staunch" neighbourhood, speaks with palpable fondness of a bygone era: the record shops along Ridley Road Market, their sounds spilling into the Saturday bustle; the café nestled within Centerprise, the revered Black bookshop where his mother worked part-time; and the legendary Hackney Downs "all-dayers" – spontaneous, intergenerational gatherings where heavy sound systems fused into a "foggy siren of celebration." "That’s where we were at our best as a community," Ryan reflects, a sentiment underscored by the stark reality that many of these cherished shared spaces and collective rituals have steadily faded over the past few decades, leaving the annual Notting Hill Carnival as one of the few remaining bastions of such unified cultural expression.
The Genesis of a Movement: From Loss to Legacy
It is from this perceived cultural void that City Splash emerges, not merely as a music festival, but as a deliberate and ambitious homage to the enduring legacy of Notting Hill Carnival. It simultaneously carves out a vital space for the ever-evolving, globally diverse sounds of Black music. What began as a passionate endeavour to reclaim and reignite a communal spirit has rapidly blossomed into a major cultural phenomenon, now drawing an impressive 30,000 attendees to South London’s verdant Brockwell Park. This remarkable growth underscores the festival’s dual mandate: to meticulously preserve a rich cultural lineage while boldly pushing into fresh, contemporary musical territories. From the deep, percussive, bass-heavy foundations of roots reggae, dancehall, and dub to the bright, soaring upper echelons of Afrobeats, jungle, garage, and amapiano, City Splash stands as a resplendent, multifaceted celebration of Black music and movement, reflecting the dynamic tapestry of its global influence.
Beyond Promotion: Ben Ryan’s Vision of Event Production
Ben Ryan is quick to correct any mischaracterization of his role. "I’m not just a promoter," he asserts. "In fact, I don’t ever call myself a promoter – I’m an event producer." This distinction, seemingly semantic, becomes profoundly evident in the depth of his involvement and the meticulous care with which City Splash has been constructed. It speaks to a philosophy that transcends mere booking and logistics, embracing a holistic approach to cultural curation and community building. For Ryan, producing an event means shaping the very experience of culture within the created space.
This ethos is manifest in deliberate structural choices. Since the festival’s inception, Ryan has consistently entrusted a dedicated stage each year to Cecil Reuben, a renowned Brixton promoter. Reuben, a venerable figure in London’s reggae scene, meticulously curates a lineup predominantly featuring South London artists. This strategic decision acknowledges that the individuals who build and programme these spaces inevitably dictate how the culture is perceived, embraced, and celebrated within them. By empowering community-rooted curators, City Splash ensures authenticity and local resonance, fostering a genuine connection between the festival and its geographical and cultural origins.
Intentional Curation: Amplifying Voices and Heritage
Ryan’s programming is deeply intentional, whether it’s promoting the profound messages of Rastafari or responding to what he terms the "down pressure of Babylon." This year’s Bank Holiday Monday lineup is a testament to this philosophy, bringing long-revered artists back into the heart of London alongside a wealth of emerging and established talent. Headlining the return is Beres Hammond, the undisputed "King of Lovers Rock," making a highly anticipated comeback to the UK after an eight-year absence. He is joined by returning luminaries such as Chronixx and Capleton, whose powerful performances have become synonymous with the festival’s spirit. "In these hard times, we need that strength from those artists," Ryan shares, articulating a belief that music serves not only as entertainment but as a crucial source of resilience, comfort, and collective empowerment. This careful curation ensures that the festival offers both nostalgic familiarity for older generations and fresh discovery for younger audiences, bridging generational gaps through shared musical heritage.
Addressing Industry Disparities: A Commitment to Equity and Representation
Ryan, a seasoned figure within the global music industry, offers a critical reflection on his extensive experience promoting Black genres and attending reggae events across the UK and Europe. He observed a concerning trend: these events were often organized by predominantly white promoters for predominantly white audiences. "There wasn’t a large group of young Black people that were attending the reggae events, and that troubled me," he recounts. "I was like, man, I know we all love reggae, because when we’re at christenings, funerals, weddings and all-dayers, reggae plays loud, and everyone knows every word." This observation highlighted a disconnect – a beloved cultural form not adequately reaching or being presented to a significant segment of its core demographic in mainstream festival settings.
Beyond audience demographics, Ryan points to a broader systemic issue within the festival landscape: "It’s a very white landscape in terms of the people behind the scenes and production when you get on a festival site, too." This candid assessment underscores the critical need for diversity not just on stage, but throughout the entire organizational structure of cultural events. City Splash actively confronts this disparity. "We have a responsibility and an opportunity here, especially in London. I like to see that reflected across the festival," Ryan states. This commitment to equitable representation permeates every layer of the City Splash ecosystem. A prime example is the artist liaison team, which has been Black female-led since the festival’s inception. "That’s been very intentional, and is something I’m really proud of," Ryan affirms. This deliberate choice is not merely symbolic; it ensures that critical communication and support roles are handled by individuals who deeply understand and resonate with the artists and the culture, fostering an environment of trust, respect, and authenticity.
In an industry often critiqued for its lack of diversity behind the scenes, City Splash stands as a compelling model. A 2022 report by UK Music, for instance, indicated that while ethnic diversity in the music industry workforce was at 21%, senior roles lagged significantly, with only 12% being from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Festivals, as major cultural enterprises, often mirror these broader industry trends. City Splash’s proactive stance in empowering Black women in leadership roles within its operational structure directly challenges these statistics, demonstrating a tangible commitment to creating a truly inclusive and representative platform. This approach not only enriches the festival’s internal culture but also sends a powerful message to the wider industry about the imperative of equitable hiring and leadership development.
Nurturing Talent: The Rise Up Programme and Future Ambitions
At its core, City Splash was born from a profound desire to create a space built "for us, by us." This philosophy extends beyond mere celebration to active investment in the cultures that sustain it. The festival has evolved into a respected talent accelerator, strategically reinvesting time, resources, and hard-earned capital back into the vibrant Black music ecosystem. Central to this mission is Rise Up, the festival’s innovative artist development programme. This initiative provides crucial support for emerging artists from across the Caribbean and the diaspora through a comprehensive suite of opportunities: London residencies, invaluable industry mentorship, collaborative songwriting camps, and pivotal live performance opportunities, including a coveted set at City Splash itself.
The Rise Up programme serves as a vital bridge, connecting nascent talent with established industry figures and providing the practical skills and exposure necessary to navigate a competitive global music landscape. This commitment to artist development is a long-term investment in the future of Black music. Ryan hints at exciting future developments: "We’ve got a really exciting project coming in 2027," he reveals, detailing plans to "shine a spotlight on the dopest new artists coming from around the globe who are influenced by the culture." This forward-looking vision underscores City Splash’s ambition to not only showcase existing talent but to actively cultivate and propel the next generation of global Black music innovators, ensuring the continuous evolution and vitality of the genres it celebrates.
Broader Impact and Implications: A Cultural and Economic Force
City Splash’s impact extends far beyond the confines of Brockwell Park on a single Bank Holiday Monday. Culturally, it acts as a crucial anchor in London’s increasingly diverse, yet sometimes fragmented, cultural landscape. By providing a dedicated, large-scale platform for Black music and culture, it reinforces identity, fosters intergenerational dialogue, and provides a much-needed sense of belonging and collective pride for attendees from various backgrounds, particularly within the Black community. It serves as an educational experience, exposing new audiences to the rich history and contemporary expressions of Afrobeats, reggae, dancehall, and more.
Economically, a festival of City Splash’s scale, attracting 30,000 people, generates significant revenue for the local economy. Beyond ticket sales, this includes increased patronage for local businesses – restaurants, bars, accommodation, and transport services – within South London and across the wider capital. The festival also creates numerous temporary employment opportunities in areas such as event management, security, catering, and technical production, contributing to local job markets. While precise figures would require dedicated economic impact studies, similar-sized festivals in the UK have been shown to generate millions of pounds in local economic benefit annually, demonstrating City Splash’s substantial contribution to London’s creative and commercial sectors.
Furthermore, City Splash’s commitment to diversity behind the scenes and through programmes like Rise Up has broader implications for the UK music industry. It challenges established norms and demonstrates that commercially successful, large-scale events can be produced with a genuine commitment to representation and cultural investment. This serves as a powerful example, encouraging other festival organizers and industry stakeholders to reassess their own practices and prioritize equity.
A Blueprint for the Future
As London approaches another year of exceptional music, dance, and celebration at City Splash, the festival feels less like an isolated event and more like a direct continuation of the blueprint laid down by the legendary all-dayers that soundtracked Ben Ryan’s adolescence. It embodies a vital dual function: part vibrant festival, part essential cultural infrastructure. By meticulously curating its lineup, intentionally diversifying its operational teams, and proactively investing in artist development through initiatives like Rise Up, City Splash is not just hosting a party; it is carrying forward the profound traditions of Black music gatherings, ensuring their enduring presence and evolution both within London and far beyond, for generations to come. It stands as a testament to the power of cultural resilience and the visionary leadership dedicated to preserving and propelling a vital heritage.
City Splash takes place on 25th May. Download the Dazed Club app to get 20 per cent off tickets.
