Cost of living: Sounds From The Other City freezes prices

Sounds From The Other City is asking people to pay the ticket price they can afford

A music festival has frozen its ticket prices after its director said there was "no way" they could charge more and price people who were dealing with rising living costs out of attending.

Sian Roberts said entry to Salford's Sounds From The Other City in April 2023 would cost the same as this year.

She said the "ethos" of the event was to be "accessible to everyone" and raising prices was counter to that.

"We are about collaboration and bringing people together," she added.

The one-day festival, which began in 2005, describes itself as a celebration of "the off-kilter beauty of Salford, the oft-overlooked 'other city' to Manchester".

The event, which sees about 150 artists perform across 20 venues in the city, champions new music and has hosted early shows from Mercury Music Prize winners Sampha and Alt-J and fellow award nominees Slowthai, Hannah Peel, GoGo Penguin and Black Midi.

The one-day festival will take place on 30 April 2023

Ms Roberts said her team "feel very strongly about our festival being accessible to everyone; that is our ethos".

She said the cost of living crisis was proving "tough" for many of those involved in the music industry, they were "determined to keep doing what we are doing".

"The cost of living crisis is really affecting so many people right now, but we are really aware that it's particularly affecting young people, women and those working in the creative industries - the people who make up a lot of our audience," she said.

"Our event is about people coming together, being open to new experiences and spreading a bit of joy, things we think are really important right now."

The festival has grown substantially since it started in 2005 and now sees more than 150 acts perform in 20 venues

She said the festival had also dispensed with its usual pricing structure, which saw three tiers of tickets released at progressively higher prices in the months before the event, and was offering all three prices at the same time, while asking people who can afford to pay more to do so.

"We're asking you to pay for the one you feel you can afford," she said.

"If you feel you have enough disposable income for a higher cost ticket, could you leave a more limited low cost one for someone else?"

Independent music label Heavenly Records programmes a stage at the festival.

Label chief Danny Mitchell said the festival's support of its "loyal, supportive fan base" was laudable.

"I've been coming to the festival since 2005," he said.

"Its commitment to keeping the event sustainable and affordable for everyone is a beautiful thing."