ACF to support Carnival content on KISS Network

26 Aug 2020

The Audio Content Fund has today agreed funding to support additional public service material for “Carnival On KISS”, produced by independent producer The Playmaker Group.

With young fans of black music and culture missing out on the annual carnival gatherings in London, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester this summer, the KISS network has launched plans to connect audiences with live music and DJ sets across the August bank holiday weekend.

The Audio Content Fund will add to these plans, with more programming to bring audience voices to the air, and further diversify the musical offer with major artists in the genres of Soca, Dancehall, Reggae, and House. 

The funded content will include a “Welcome to Carnival” show presented by British artist Shakka, a reggae show hosted by Skip Marley, and nationwide request show YOURStory, bringing together carnival fans from across the UK.

It is the first time the Audio Content Fund, which is financed by the UK government, has issued a grant outside of a planned funding round, something which is provided for in its guidelines for time-sensitive proposals at the discretion of the independent funding panel.

Chair of the panel Helen Boaden said: “We are pleased to be able to support this additional content for such a huge celebration of Black British culture. This will probably be the biggest audience ever to hear Carnival on the radio, and will bring people together at a time when many large urban centres around the country are back in lockdown again.”

Carnival On KISS takes place this weekend, on Sunday 30^th and Monday 31^st August, on KISS, KISS Fresh, and KISSTORY.