It’s no secret that it’s increasingly difficult to present live music. News headlines are full of cancelled festivals, several of them local. From Salt Spring’s very own SOCS (Summer Outdoor Concert Series), to Rifflandia and Harbour Blues & Roots in Victoria, to Kaslo Jazz Fest and Vancouver Island Music Fest (Courtenay) regionally, to dozens more across the country and continent, the trend is rampant. With rising production costs, lack of available government funding, climate risks, and barriers to artist travel, these grassroots cultural events are sinking beneath their own weight at a time when society may need them most.
Amidst these circumstances, it feels like a small miracle that Salt Spring’s mighty little Convergence Festival is not only on the books, but growing to two full days this year. Started in 2022 by Tommy van Deursen, Convergence was initially conceived as a “parking lot takeover” - an off-the-cuff music festival in an unusual location to bring locals together at the end of tourist season. It was (and still is) an opportunity to celebrate community with great local music, highlight upcoming local and regional bands, and transform a drab commercial space into an outdoor living room - full of spirit, enthusiasm, and togetherness. A moment to transcend the daily industry of life before disappearing into hibernation for the winter.
Convergence Festival 2025 - photo by Andy Doyle-Linden
As the festival and team grows, retaining the ethos of its seed is paramount. Above all, keeping the festival free and accessible is inherent to its spirit. And that is simply not possible without the incredible generosity of the many sponsors who continually step up to support it. So, a huge shout out to this year’s partners and sponsors for leading the way - the Wilding Foundation, the Berman Foundation, the Salt Spring Island Foundation, Harvest Moon, Mateada, CRD, Salt Spring Arts, Graffiti Theatre, Salt Spring Jazz & Blues Society, Country Grocer, Voyage Liquor, and the Salt Spring Exchange. The support from these organizations is vital to keeping Convergence running and we hope you’ll champion them in the community as much as possible!
Convergence at its core is about bringing people and art together. Beyond funding, the team is looking to the community to expand its organizational capacity to ensure the festival’s future. Do you have skills in grant writing, securing sponsorships, event production, and the music industry? If so, the Convergence team would welcome your volunteer efforts on its production team. Please reach out at convergencefestivalssi@gmail.com to let us know what skills you can offer and for more information.
Have you checked out the schedule for Convergence yet? It’s going to be a banger! See the full lineup here, and see you in the Creekside parking lot on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th from 1-10pm!
