London South Bank University is to host the very first Magnetic South Festival later this month running from April 14-15.

It has been two years since the idea for the festival was devised by Pauline Muir, Course Director for BA Arts and Festival Management at the university, alongside her colleagues from across the department.

Kyle McCallum, Executive Producer of Magnetic South, chose six students from the course to organise the festival, recruit artists and speak with stakeholders. The festival aims to operate "at the intersection between the avant-garde and the popular," says McCallum.

Set draws include a Cooly G DJ set, Blood Sport and "a special new collaboration between synthesiser maverick Matthew Bourne and poet Dorothy Lehane."

Asked about the thinking behind the festival, McCallum suggested he wanted to create an arts event the university could be proud of and wanted to give students an opportunity to work with a diverse array of upcoming talent. In terms of the artists chosen, McCallum claimed the festival’s location and the desire to create unusual collaborations guided the selection process. 

"The festival’s location in Elephant and Castle inspired us to invite several artists from South London. These include Brixton-born Hyperdub affiliate Cooly G and Lewisham-based electronics duo Beattie Cobell, while members of Soho-based Soul Jazz Sound System and East End disco-punks Not Sorry also have roots south of the river.

"By way of acts from outside of the capital, Sheffield’s Blood Sport were invited in light of their uncanny ability to produce intoxicatingly intricate and heavy club music using a standard rock band set-up (albeit with the addition of the Volca Beats Rhythm Machine and Ngoma African drum)." You can find out more information and get tickets here.