Radio broadcasts from boats have a long history, with the iconic Radio Caroline making waves in the North Sea and inspiring music radio for years to come. On a smaller scale and with none of the radio piracy implications over the summer, artist Lucia Scazzocchio of Social Broadcasts has worked with young people from Blackburn to transform the much loved Bill Hunt barge into a floating micro-radio studio on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Over the Summer of 2024, from its mooring at Eanam Wharf, Drift became a live community radio station on the water, broadcasting the life and sounds of the canal, both with and by the people who are connected to this region of Lancashire which culminated in a day of live broadcast on Saturday 31st August.
For 2025 we are taking Drift on tour with a series of pop-up events across the East Lancashire canal stretch including Blackburn, Nelson and Burnley. See below for more details and keep an eye out for Drift coming to a space near you!
The first phase of activity will be taking place from our DRIFT Pop-Up at Metoatee – 20 Lord Street West, Blackburn BB2 1JX from February – April 2025
Click the activities below for more information and full schedule!
- Listen Up! with Caelen Salmon & Tom Washington – Various dates
- Deserted Island Discs with Ian H
- Love to Listen with Liz & Scott
- Poetry Slam with ABC – Tuesday 1st April
- 21st Century ‘Valentine’ Songwriting Workshop with Matt Hill
- Vinyl & Open Mic Night – March, TBC
- Audio Hooligan Bingo – Friday 11th April
- Life Story In Sound with Paul Nataraj – Thursday 13th March
- LIVE Broadcasts – Friday 28th March and Friday 25th April
- DRIFT Celebration & Audio Exhibition – Friday 25th April – Friday 2nd May
A welcoming pop up space for all, want to broadcast, record or perform? Please contact ben@superslowway.org.uk
Thanks to Metoatee for entertaining, and to all those animating the space.
After its stint in Blackburn, the Drift Pop-Up then moves over to animate and make noise in Nelson.
You can find a recording of our live broadcast, as well as the individual shows and performances from the Drift project so far on our Mixcloud page. Individual shows are linked below!
As part of the project Estudio ESSE worked with young people to co-design a ‘make-over’ for the Bill Hunt as well as to customise a wooden garden shed which functioned as a ‘jingle shed’ for outreach recording and workshops over the summer.
DRIFT: is a collaboration with Super Slow Way and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Young People’s Services
