Balcony is an online music festival organised by a group of DIY music blogs and promoters in aid of Carers UK. The show will be free to watch but viewers are encouraged to make a donation to the charity if they can afford to do so.

Presented by Louise Schofield (BBC Sesh), the festival will include exclusive live performances by bands and artists selected by Joyzine, LOUD WOMEN, God Is In The TV Zine., GigSlutz, The Zine UK, Benumu, Reckless Yes and Quarantini - Live Virtual Bar

Further line up details will be announced in the run-up to the festival.

Watch the festival online at any of these sites:
joyzine.org
loudwomen.org
godisinthetvzine.co.uk
gigslutz.co.uk
Quarantini - https://www.facebook.com/groups/626918301422270/
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Balcony Online Music Festival is named in tribute to the Italian musicians who performed from their windows through their Coronavirus lockdown.

#BalconyOnlineFest - https://twitter.com/balconyfest
https://www.instagram.com/balcony_fest/

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Carers UK is the leading national charity for unpaid carers in the UK, supporting those who are looking after a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill. Research released recently during Carers Week, based on polling carried out by YouGov, found an estimated 4.5 million people have started providing unpaid care since the Coronavirus outbreak began. This is in addition to the estimated 9.1 million people already caring before the outbreak, bringing the total number of people estimated to be caring unpaid across the UK to 13.6 million – 26% of the UK adult population, that’s one in four of us. You can read the full Carers Week report here: https://www.carersuk.org/for-professionals/policy/policy-library/carers-week-2020-research-report

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on what so many do every day to care for friends and family and Carers UK has been there to support unpaid carers across the UK so no one has to care alone by:

- Providing information and support through our helpline services and help and advice on our website
- Connecting carers through our online community and our team of volunteers who reach and identify hidden carers in their local communities
- Campaigning together for lasting change. We use our research to highlight carers' concerns, to ensure carers' voices reach decision-makers at the highest level and that carers are recognised for the contribution they make to families and communities by local and national government
- Innovating to find new ways to reach and support carers. We created Jointly, a care coordination app which makes caring easier, less stressful and more organised

The support of Balcony Festival at this challenging time means so much to the carers we support across the UK. The impact of providing unpaid care on carers’ mental and physical health, employment, finances and relationships can be devastating even in normal times with one in eight carers reporting feeling lonely or isolated. Now with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating these pressures almost all of us will be helping an elderly relative, be concerned about vulnerable family members or looking after those who are unwell.