Our Mission

Creativity forms a large part of what brings the LOOPFEST team together, many of whom are artists, musicians and writers with many years of experience.

LOOPFEST isn’t passive, and we encourage participation, including:

• Workshops before, during and after the event
• Sing-alongs, jams and sensory gardens during LOOPFEST
• Using tech to help people explore the town and discover hidden art, stories, and more.

LOOPFEST goes beyond just a once-a-year event. Since the first LOOPFEST in September 2022, live music performances in Shrewsbury have increased exponentially. We use funds to support AV projects in Shropshire at all age levels, helping foster a love of culture from an early age by encouraging inclusion and making it possible for adults to get involved too.

We also support under-represented groups in Shropshire and are making a crucial contribution to the correction of gender imbalances in the cultural sector.

Through creativity, we’ll help deliver health and well-being programmes to create a healthy and happier place to live.

LOOPFEST is a vibrant event that offers a unique platform for nurturing local talent in Shrewsbury. The festival is engaged with Shrewsbury College, allowing students to gain practical experience in sound engineering, event management, photography, videography, marketing, and more.

Moreover, the festival is making connections with students from the Events and Festival course at Shrewsbury University Centre. This experience will help them develop a range of transferable skills that they can use in their future careers, such as project management, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Volunteers of almost all ages can be involved too, from festival planning to the connection of ‘friends groups’ and fostering cultural partnerships.

The very nature of LOOPFEST is about exploring creativity. There is a strong cultural tourism market in Shropshire, but original music is underrepresented. 90% of the artists performing at LOOPFEST are original artists. They write and perform their own music yet many local acts are overlooked at significant local events.

LOOPFEST is also working to showcase local cultural diversity by engaging with minority groups.

LOOPFEST AR is designed to change the way people experience Shrewsbury by gamifying their experience in the town, allowing for an interactive outdoor adventure that tells the story of influential Salopians including Charles Darwin, Mary Webb, Eglantyne Jebb and many others in a unique format, while also promoting local artists and artisan producers.

It also is a low-cost way for people to explore and repurpose heritage buildings making cultural attractions and activities accessible to more people. This advanced technology could help present culture in an exciting way for new audiences and foster a climate for creative tech in Shrewsbury and Shropshire.

We love where we live and we want to keep it that way.

We understand the importance of having zero impact environmentally. While we are a long way from Net Zero, we feel that an inner-town festival experience is a more sustainable way to provide a rich cultural experience but with a lower environmental impact.

The theme for LOOPFEST24 is ‘Aye, Robots’ which will explore the intersection of technology, AI, robotics, and how they shape our culture and interact with our environment. This theme is a perfect opportunity to bring awareness to sustainability efforts and educate festival-goers on the role technology can play in environmental preservation.