FROM STREET TO STAGE: UNLOCK YOUR CITY LAUNCHES NEW PLATFORM 'STREET COVERS' WITH INTERNATIONAL DJ ANFISA LETYAGO & ICONIC ALBUM ARTIST BRIAN CANNON TO UNCOVER LOCAL STARS IN MUSIC & ART

The new initiative for 2023 will celebrate the creative community, shining a spotlight on unsung music & art talent from the UK and showcasing the cities and streets that have inspired them.

LONDON, March 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Introducing Street Covers, a unique platform from UNLOCK YOUR CITY (UYC) that will spotlight musicians operating outside of the mainstream and partner them with artists to revive the lost art of the album cover.

UYC believes every neighbourhood, street and corner in every city has a story and, within them, talent that drive their creative scenes. So, we're going directly to the source; peeling back the curtain of modern, urban culture in the UK. We'll uncover unsung talent who sit at the heart of their local communities, and create a platform for them to be heard through their unique city landscapes.

Building upon our mantra of supporting creative talent and unlocking creativity, UYC is partnering with DJ Anfisa Letyago as Global Brand Ambassador and legendary album sleeve artist Brian Cannon. In her new role, Anfisa will partner with UYC to champion local music talent through the Street Covers programme.

Over the course of the year, Anfisa and Brian will immerse themselves in the local music and art scenes and meet with the chosen talent who sit at the centre of them. Together they will explore the instrumental role the streets play in the culture of these communities and the influence they have on the creative process, uncovering the rich history between music and art – where true creative alchemy happens.

The music and art talent will collaborate closely throughout the year, weaving their styles and stories together to develop music that represents their journey of creative discovery, and create a piece of cover art that brings the track to life, and which will be used across physical and digital channels. The result – city influencing music, music inspiring art, and talent already resonating with their local communities propelled to the forefront of UK culture. 

Anfisa Letyago is one of clubland's rising stars who has recently completed a BBC Radio 1 Residency and is set to play at this year's Ibiza opening party in April, as well as at some of 2023's biggest dance festivals around the world. She is also set to visit the UK in April to play Liverpool's iconic Blackstone Street Warehouse off the heels of a gig at London's Fabric in February. Anfisa will spend time with our chosen music talent, guiding them through the physical and emotional process of making and performing ground-breaking music that will captivate national audiences.

In tandem, Brian Cannon, famed for creating some of the most influential and iconic album art of all time – counting  Oasis and The Verve's famous sleeves among his accolades –  will provide support and guidance to the local art talent. Sharing his innate understanding of how to connect music with art and create a visual identity for tracks, Brian will work with our chosen artist as they develop a unique design representative of their craft, to become the backdrop for the music track.

At the end of the year-long Street Covers programme, UYC will offer the pair a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to break outside of the underground scene and step into the mainstream. Their work will be revealed to the public through a large-scale local performance in the UK and shared on UYC's social channels, providing consumers with the opportunity to discover bleeding edge music and art talent that was previously hiding in plain sight.

Anfisa Letyago comments: "The concept behind Street Covers resonates so much with me personally. Where we live and spend our time plays a central role in our lives. The sounds, the smells, the people – it has all been intrinsic to my story."

"I jumped at the opportunity to be part of a programme that encourages musicians and artists to draw creative inspiration from their city streets, and from one another. I'm looking forward to working with a line-up of incredible talent to develop music that represents their unique journeys of creative discovery."

Brian Cannon adds: "Music is so emotive, everyone has a different relationship with it, so managing to capture the essence of a track within a piece of art is extremely special and something I've dedicated my life's work to. I can't wait to meet the artists and embark on this creative journey together. It's going to an incredible challenge, and what a fantastic initiative to be a part of."

About Unlock Your City

We exist to inspire creativity in subcultures from cities across the UK. We electrify creators. We connect cultures. We support the next. We enable creators from all corners of culture, amplifying their art to the next level.

By reviving creative spaces, venues, sponsorships, studio time, promotion, commissioning new art; we're putting our passion behind the next generation. Connecting with our audience on and offline, we're inspiring the minds of the creative class using the urban landscape as our sandbox.

With dedicated spaces at festivals such as All Points East, Dockyards and Boardmasters, and club nights across the country with partners including The Beams, Motion and Warehouse Project, grab yourself a ticket and discover the next generation of UK talent. 

Join us, Unlock Your City. 

Follow us on Instagram at @unlockyourcityuk to keep up to date with our latest events and partnerships, plus enter drops to win tickets and other prizes.

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