Young musicians and bands are being offered the chance of a major breakthrough by organisers of the Ottery Food & Families Festival.

A Battle of the Bands competition will be held in the run-up to the festival in September, open to performers aged 11 to 25 throughout the South West.

There will be prizes for everyone who takes part, including the chance to play at the Ottery festival and other music events; radio airplay; studio rehearsal time; masterclasses with experienced musicians; and the chance to have a track recorded, mixed, mastered and released on streaming platforms.

The Ottery Food & Families Festival takes place on Saturday, September 9 at Otter Nurseries.

Entertainment officer David Knox, who is also the promoter of the King of Clubs and a producer at the music production company RandK Systems, said: “We have designed our Battle of the Bands to encourage more young people to participate in the performing arts. Everyone who gets involved will be given a prize as we are hoping to give young people a platform to perform in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Midweek Herald:

“This model worked so well for this year’s Ottery Food Festival headliners The Kabins. At the King of Clubs, we provided them rehearsal space and equipment, coached them, provided their first gigs and promoted them in the media. This led to them getting signed and embarking on a national tour, which set them on a positive path to develop as a viable live band. So, we are hoping to give other young people interested in getting into performing a platform to do so at the region’s best festivals.”

In addition to the Battle of the Bands element, there are also opportunities for students interested in gaining work experience at a range of music festivals. These include helping with live sound, live recording, producing promotional videos and stage management, social media and PR.

The first heats for the Battle of the Bands will be held in June in Ottery St Mary and Exeter, with the final heats on July 1. To enter, visit the RandK Systems website to find the online application form, and send a download link to a video of the band/musician performing. Applications must be received by May 31.

Full details can be found on the RandK Systems website.