Music fans who travel away from Seattle to experience the energy of a multi-day music festival elsewhere will finally have a reason to stay in the city next spring, as Paul Allen has announced the creation of the Upstream Music Festival and Summit.
The three-day event, scheduled for May 11-13, 2017, “is designed to promote music discovery, spark transformative conversations and foster opportunities for emerging artists and the industry within the new entertainment economy,” according to Allen’s Vulcan Inc. website.
Upstream will take place in Seattle’s Pioneer Square and the north lot of CenturyLink Field. The plan is to host more than 200 artists in numerous locations throughout the historic neighborhood. Vulcan says to expect “intimate performances, surprising collaborations and curated stages.”
Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, is a celebrated music and arts fan, as his EMP Museum and Seattle Art Fair attest.
“Upstream will celebrate the sound and culture of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest,” Allen said on the Vulcan site. “We have a thriving music scene filled with emerging artists that deserve more exposure, resources and attention. The greatest value of art, whatever the medium, is when it’s shared widely.”
The festival will be presented in close partnership with KEXP and the Alliance for Pioneer Square. Sign up for a newsletter to get more information as it becomes available.
