A cultural hub for community and collaboration, London has always been rife with young artists shaping the next generation of the creative industries.
Far From Presents is a London-based art and music collective founded by 20-year-olds Jake Scott and Dan Rowson, pushing the boundaries of what a music promoter can be. Known for putting on nights that combine diverse art mediums to champion the thriving creative scene, it brings a refreshing perspective on music promotion by emphasising community and connection. From hosting gigs to mud fights, there is no limit to what the collective can do.
Photo by Mabel Mcleod
Formed from the notion of starting a clothing brand, Far From evolved into something encompassing the entire art sphere in 2022 through a desire to make a space in that world. “It kind of took off when we wanted to find a way for the band to headline a gig.. So I thought, “Why not turn it into a club night?” says Scott, who plays guitar in alt-rock band Blue Polar. Along with Rowson, the drummer in alt-garage-rock band Cardboard, the pair have experienced the world of gigging through the lens of performers and noticed a disparity in how the bands get treated.
“It’s really important to us that we put thought into the lineup of the gigs and promote bands that we really believe in,” explains Rowson, after mentioning his experience of working with promoters that only seem to care about ticket sales. Through curating events that prioritise artistic integrity and genuine passion, the collective has fostered a community based on collaboration in an industry that can seem isolating to young creatives, saying “It doesn’t have to be scary. It can just be a bunch of nice, passionate people hanging out at a cool venue”.
Far From at The George Tavern. Photo by Jamie King
Exploring different avenues of what a gig can be, Far From merges live music with other art forms, marginally taking inspiration from the Happenings, a movement that began to introduce intersecting performance art and everyday life in non-art contexts during the 1950s and 60s. A particularly unique moment for the collective was hosting a riot-grrl-inspired, amateur-mud-wrestling competition in collaboration with event organiser, Evlyn Bill. “In the best way possible it was like…“What the fuck are we doing?” laughs Scott, who describes the night as one of his highlights. A wrestling match to “rid ourselves of the rage that polite society insists women hide” as said in a statement by Bill, the event held pairs of bikini-clad girls hauling each other around in the mud inside an inflatable kiddie-pool at London’s The Horse Hospital, soundtracked by a live performance by cold-wave, synth band Domina and an improvised set from Bruno & the Outrageous Methods of Presentation.
“Each night has such a strong identity”, says Poppy Levy, guitarist and vocalist of pop-rock band Hot Stamp, adding that despite being a grassroots promoter, Far From has been their highest paying gig to date. From previously being poorly paid in their bands, the founders share a conviction in paying artists what they deserve, even if it inhibits profits. “We make promises, and we keep them”, tells Rowson, noting the importance of mutual respect and integrity to being a promoter.
“It differs from a normal gig because you don’t always know what you’ll get”, offers Roy Lowe, drummer in indie-rock band Tooth. An event at Peckham Audio showcased moving images projected onto the bands performing, in response to a previous night at Avalon Cafe where a mixed-media art show took place in a separate room. “We’re still experimenting with ways to facilitate the marriage of art and music”, conveys Scott, though the spontaneity sets Far From apart from other collectives. Beyond London, Far From has also worked with Surround, a Glasgow-based events organiser run by Jamie King, Callum Harrison and Louis Smeeton. At The Pipe Factory in Glasgow, the night hosted an art exhibition alongside ambient noise artist Sorely Macrae, screamo band My Rushmore, and post-punk band Weatherman. “We’re not genre specific,” he continues, stating that their main focus is promoting innovation.
Far From crowd in Glasgow. Photo by Ryan Westmore
Along with cultivating community through events, Far From launched a magazine showcasing their favourite creatives, coinciding with their official one-year anniversary at The George Tavern. Both expressing an affinity for tangible art forms, the duo feel that a print magazine is vital to the collective as a way of archiving the events. “We’re both big vinyl collectors, so this also feels like a way to truly own the art you love”, says Rowson, noting how the physicality of a magazine enhances more of a connection to it. “It feels like a time capsule for what we’re doing”, adds Scott, “there’s a permanence and legitimacy to it, in contrast to existing on social media where things can get deleted or reposted”.
Featured in the first issue, Tegan Chinogurei expresses her admiration for the Far From collaborative ethos, commenting “Sharing a space with people who want to create is so special”. In conversation with Scott, the feature explores her practice of investigating memory through being a multi-disciplinary artist, mostly working with video to “find a universe of symbols and codes to understand my work”. The space that Far From creates encourages everyone to get involved, as Rowson points out “you’re not just a musician, but also a social media manager, photographer, journalist etc..” in an industry that expects a lot more from artists than just their practice. Forging a hub of young, enthusiastic creatives, it breeds a place for like-minded people to combine different talents and strengthen relationships.
Blue Polar released their EP via Far From Records.
The pair give recognition to other collectives such as Big Richard Records and Life is Beautiful with a similar ethos of artistic intent and pioneering experimentation. By setting up their own record label, Far From Records, they’re further shaping the industry with “music that we fuck with and just want to hear out there”. Though they state that they don’t see themselves as a figurehead – “there’s no hierarchy in what we’re doing”. As the collective grows with more funding, they aim to nurture the scene by supporting the bands they believe in, lending to their motto of “Not Just a Promoter”.
Far From at Avalon Cafe. Photo by Daniel Rowson.
“Our goal is to make each event more of a spectacle than the last”, tells Rowson, toying with ideas such as a punk bingo night, performance art shows and a DIY skateboard competition, as Scott adds “it’s about accepting that things might go wrong, but it also might make something really interesting”. There’s no one formula to how the collective will pan out, which is what makes it so exciting. “We’re still learning so much, and it’s a constant work in progress” he continues, mentioning that inspiration comes from everywhere, from art history to conversations at parties.
For the future, the possibilities are endless, with thoughts of one day opening a Far From music venue or running a festival. “Just having a space where no one can tell us no”, says Rowson, where it could be a music venue one week and an art gallery the next. Expanding into a production company or publishing house are other avenues the pair is open to, as long as the intention of collaboration remains constant – “we want it to be something that leaves an impression on people”. Having already accomplished so much, Far From is a prime example of what young people are achieving, and they implore everyone to get involved.
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This feature was originally published inside Issue Fifty-Three of So Young Magazine. Order your copy here.
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