The 17 finalists in the remarkable Young Bristol's Got Talent

A project to bring Bristol's young people together and help challenge the 'postcode divides' across the city is staging its biggest-ever grand final this weekend.

Seventeen young acts have got through to the final of the Young Bristol's Got Talent - a showcase talent search with the prize of a performance slot on the huge Silver Hayes stage at Glastonbury Festival 2020.

The project has been run for a few years mainly in the Easton and St Paul's area, by Naomi Davis, from community radio station Ujima and the BBC.

She started it in 2006 after seeing George Sampson win Britain's Got Talent, and then seeing a group of young street dancers in Easton doing pretty much the same thing.

This year, the YBGT competition has expanded - and gone out to all four corners of Bristol in its bid to bring the young people of the city together.

”I started the event when George Sampson won with a street dance performance," she told Bristol Live in June when auditions were launched.

“A few days later I saw a group of young African Caribbean boys dancing at a local fun day, and they had so much talent but no mainstream outlet to perform in.“

“I then decided there and then that I would hold an annual talent show which would allow inner city youth to shine and Bristol's Got Talent was born," she added.

She said: “All children deserve support in their chosen field and Young Bristol Got Talent helps those dreams, no matter how big or small so that youth can get experience and grow.

“I wanted to provide a much needed platform for BAME youth across the city,” she added.

There have been a number of winners and performers who have gone on to have success in the entertainment industry.

Naomi added: "This platform has proven to be a valid outlet for young people, where many of them have gone onto backstage support and on to perform on some of the biggest stages in the city, including Harbourside Festival and St Pauls Carnival.

Full Article: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/tackling-bristols-postcode-wars-talent-3598226