A partnership which was formed to build corporate support for Hull’s UK City of Culture campaign is now rallying the region’s business community to back the bid for UNESCO City of Music status.
Hull Business Angels took to the main stage of Humber Street Sesh at the weekend to celebrate the growth of the festival and the achievements of the musicians who have performed since the early days in a local pub and the first large scale event in 2012.
The Angels are seeking other businesses to join them in supporting the Sesh team, developing local and regional talent and repeating the UK City of Culture success by winning recognition as a UNESCO City of Music.
Phil Withers, clients and markets manager at RSM UK in Hull, said: “We didn’t want the impact that UK City of culture made to the city to wane when the circus left town and we have continued to do what we can since 2017.
“Hull Business Angels are proud to support Humber Street Sesh because it showcases the incredible talent, energy, and creative spirit that defines our city. Hull has all the ingredients to become a UNESCO City of Music - rich heritage, grassroots talent, and a community that thrives on cultural expression.
“Our aim is to be a catalyst for sustainable growth through creativity, helping Hull take its place on the global stage as a city where music drives innovation, identity, and opportunity.”
Humber Street Sesh attracted around 15,000 music lovers of all ages to Hull’s Fruit Market to enjoy live performances by 137 artists from across the north and the midlands.
Adam Walsh, CEO of John Good Group, said: “Humber Street Sesh is more than a festival. It’s a celebration of the region’s creative spirit and draws thousands of people into the city centre, to celebrate the immense talent within our community.
“It’s also a sound investment from a business perspective, with every £1 invested in the festival generating almost £4 of social value. That’s testament to its positive ripple effects, supporting jobs and giving a boost to local businesses, whilst at the same time putting on a great event to be enjoyed by all who take part.
“That’s why it’s so important for the business community to engage in events like this, and why groups like Hull Business Angels are so important in bringing together local businesses that share a determination to see our city flourish. Collaboration like this is essential for future-proofing Hull’s success.”
Moira Brown of Neill & Brown Global Logistics told how her company was the first to invest in the UK City of Culture campaign. She said: “We pledged our support for the City of Culture bid and that was the start of it. The view was that if we could get a number of businesses involved it would increase our chances of becoming UK City of Culture, and we were 100 per cent behind that as the first business to pledge.
“It matters very much because Hull has been very good for us and our company. We like to invest in the local economy and in future employment because we believe in the city.”
More recent additions to the Angels include North Atlantic Fishing Company, which took some of its employees to the festival. Crewing supervisor Keir Day said: “We have trained local and regional trawlermen for more than 40 years. We like to be involved in the local area and that’s why we are here today. There are about 30 of our fishermen here today and it’s a highlight of our year.”
After leaving the main stage, the Angels paid a visit to The Focus Group, a wellbeing, therapy and counselling business which recently opened a new head office in Hull’s Fruit Market area .
Pete Palumbo, the company’s clinical director, said the business is already working on projects in the area with creatives including Social, the cultural venue in Humber Street which houses the Sesh team.
Pete said: “We invited the Business Angels because they are doing a great job delivering for Hull and for Humber Street Sesh. We were founded in Hull 25 years ago and we moved to the Fruit Market in the last six months because Hull has so much to offer and this is the most vibrant and exciting part of the city.”
Paige Leah McGowan, marketing manager of Future Humber/Bondholders, highlighted the place promotion benefits of Sesh.
She said: “Events like Humber Street Sesh shine a light on the creativity, talent, and spirit that make our region so distinctive - not just to those who live here, but to audiences and investors around the world.
"Culture and music have a unique ability to connect people, tell authentic stories, and showcase Humber as more than an economic hub - but as a region rich in culture, opportunity, and prosperity. Supporting events like this helps fuel regional pride, drive economic opportunity, and demonstrate why Humber is a place of real and remarkable potential."
Elise Witty, communications and sponsorship manager of Humber Street Sesh, said the contribution of the Business Angels and the sponsors of the individual stages is vital to the development of an event which has ambitions to grow even further.
She said: “The festival is embedded in the cultural fabric of the city, bringing the whole community together in celebration of their city’s music scene and generating over £1 million in social value – economically, socially and environmentally.
“Investing in the festival means investing in the community: something the Business Angels have always understood and backed. Their collective support year on year, since 2017 has made a huge impact on sustaining and developing the festival and with more national industry bands in the line-ups this year, we hope to raise aspirations and our profile, firmly establishing Humber Street Sesh on the UK festival
map.”
Picture details - Members of the Hull Business Angels on stage at Humber Street Sesh where they
urged the region’s corporate community to back the city’s UNESCO City of Music bid.
