THE focus of Warrington Music Festival is usually on the bands and artists on the stage.

But thanks to a project behind the scenes, teenagers have also become music managers and have planned the line-up for the new big top in Bank Park.

‘Futureproof Productions’ has handpicked the acts for the hard rock and metal night on Friday, July 18, and have helped organise the Youth Carnival on Sunday, July 20.

“It feels great,” said William Black, aged 15, who is one of the organisers.

“To put on a live show that hundreds of people are going to enjoy makes me feel like I'm on top of the world.

“I enjoy live music so much, so to be able to help put on a show that makes other people feel that same joy makes me feel like I'm giving something back to the public.”

Futureproof is the result of Warrington Youth Service’s ‘Play It Safe’, an initiative funded by the National Foundation for Youth Music.

Weekly sessions have given young people the opportunity to help plan live music events across the town.

So far they have arranged gigs at Warrington Youth Café and Parr Hall but said their involvement with Warrington Music Festival has been their biggest event so far.

Elle Kalavsky, aged 17, said: “This time last year, I was only a spectator and just one in the crowd at the festival, so it's awesome that in the space of a year I've gotten so involved with the music scene.

“I'll be part of the team creating this event for the public. It's an amazing feeling.”

William added: “There's been a few bands that I feel we've brought through into the music scene.

“And as we've brought them through we've made ourselves known.

“It was sad to see so many venues close last year, so I think that there was a much-needed platform for both musicians and promoters/organisers/managers to kick-start things again.”

The hard rock and metal night will be a first for the festival but Futureproof’s Lewis Partridge reckons people will be surprised by the diversity of music on offer.

The 19-year-old said: “There's quite a lot of variation between the style of each band that will be performing.

“Loads of bands would put themselves within the same genre, yet sound very different from each other, which I suppose is the beauty in music.

“Even within the same genre, there's loads of diversity.”

Elle hopes to follow on from Futureproof with a degree in sound, light and live event technology to work on the tech side of gigs and festivals.

Her dream would be to organise the Warped Tour in America.

She added: “The whole experience so far has been phenomenal. I've loved every part of it. “I've made so many friends and connections, I've strengthened friendships that I already had with bands.

“I've been able to manage stages, promote events, help set equipment up, create a growing reputation for the Futureproof team and it's also given me inspiration for my future.”

- Futureproof’s hard rock and metal night will be at the big top in Bank Park on Friday, July 18, from 5.30pm and the Youth Carnival runs from noon to 7pm on Sunday, July 20.