What is Uprise! Promotions? (Mission Statement)
Uprise! Promotions is a local promotions group based in Calgary, AB, CA. The purpose of Uprise! Promotions is to hold local music events in support of alternative infrastructure in Calgary. Currently the focus of Uprise! Promotions is the Joe Strummer Memorial Society for Youth (also based in Calgary, AB, CA). Uprise! Promotions runs events year round at both 18+ and AA venues around Calgary, with it's biggest yearly show being the annual Uprise! Fest.
What is Uprise! Fest?
Uprise! Fest is an annual festival which hosts a benefit concert to raise funds for alternative infrastructure in the City of Calgary. The festival features local bands who support the projects through the donation of their time and energy, as well as a number of out-of-towners who feel that the project is a worthy venture and are dedicated to the cause.
When we did the first Uprise! Fest the primary goal was to raise money for our chosen benefit. However the festival was also intended to combat an increasingly serious problem in Calgary's All Ages scene: that of segregation. The festival was to feature different local artists from all different genres and styles of music playing in support of not only the chosen benefit, but also for the ideal that a scene's true strength comes not from one scene growing stronger through the domination of others, but from a unity within the community. While Calgary has a really strong scene in general, we thought it could be made stronger.
In many ways the '05 festival was a huge success on this front, but after a certain amount of reflection on the topic, we realized that the one thing that would truly bring Calgary's All Ages scene together and help it become something powerful, more than just a place to enjoy entertainment, was a permanent venue that could be established for the All Ages community. It's an idea that has been floating around in Calgary for years but has never managed to get off the ground. The time has come! We feel that Calgary cannot wait any longer for a much needed space like this and action must be taken!
It is because of this that we've decided to host the Uprise! festival in benefit of a new, not-for-profit organization called the Joe Strummer Memorial Society for Youth with the long term goal of opening a permanent All Ages venue in Calgary. The space will be called the Joe Strummer Memorial Hall and it will be a home to many of us when it opens.
Contact us!
Bookings! - bookings@uprisefest.ca
General Inquiries! - info@uprisefest.ca
Volunteering! - volunteers@uprisefest.ca
