As we plan a path to future events, we once again need to reach to our community of friends, fans of music, musicians and supporters for help.

We know we are not alone in the music world trying to continue, but we know we are making a difference to all those who can attend, perform and volunteer.

The path to a self-sustaining series is taking longer than we hoped, but we’re in this for the long run. We feel what we offer is important and we’d like to continue as long as you’ll have us. Obviously don’t just take our word for why our series matters; let’s hear from one of the musicians who recently joined our series:

‘I have rarely experienced this much dedication, hard work, generosity and fairness in treating artists and crew. Daylight Music is a beacon of light in the London Music and Art scene and its promoter deserves all the support in the world’. - Emma Tricca

For thirteen years and 340-something outings, Arctic Circle's Daylight Music has been ‘there’ in the background supporting London’s live music scene, with its constantly evolving mix of music, delicious cake (something for everyone with vegan and gluten free options), and iconic and welcoming spaces. It has been featured regularly in Time Out’s 101 Things To Do in London and cited in The Rough Guide to Make the Most of Your Time in Britain.

‘It was heart-warming to see many children there who were captivated by the performances. The relaxed atmosphere meant people could come and explore our instrument collection after the show and the usual boundaries between audience member and performer were broken down.’ - Minihi

We need to raise money in advance for hiring the venue, bringing in a sound system with a van to transport it and an experienced engineer, who will set up and pack down. Then there are all the hours and weeks of preparation the costs of design, media and website. We also want to make sure we can financially compensate our musicians for their time and transport, which cannot always come from the Pay-What-You-Can door entry.

Our last two successful crowdfunders and our Arts Council funding allowed us to continue till now (July 2023). We now look ahead with some ambitious plans for our series from the Autumn 2022 till Summer 2023– these include new venues and events outside of London for the first time. For this we launch this crowdfunder alongside another funding application, a new membership scheme and our merchandise range.

'Daylight has been an incredibly welcome and inclusive space for audiences of all ages - it was amazing to be able to bring my son to see his very first experience of live music after a pandemic. I think he will be talking about watching Mummy's gig for a long time!' - Mary Erskine

So, our question to you is can you give something to help? Everything makes a difference as we look towards our return this Autumn and continue in 2023...

Thanks for reading and supporting,

Ben Eshmade

Arctic Circle’s Daylight Music

Cover image Rattle from DM346 04.06.22 by Cath Dupuy