From the festival to the farmyard
The co-founder of London’s biggest celebration of reggae and afrobeats started his own sustainable farming business during lockdown.
Ben Ryan, born and raised in Dalston, is the co-founder of Brockwell Park’s City Splash festival, writes Claudia Lee.
City Splash is now widely recognised as one of London’s biggest celebrations of reggae, dancehall and afrobeats music.
This year, City Splash will return to Brockwell Park on May 29, with renowned artists including Koffee, Shenseea and Skillibeng.
Mr Ryan previously worked at EMI Records, the UK record label home to Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, before becoming a live events producer.
He said: “I have always wanted to bring back the Caribbean culture I was surrounded by growing up in London.
“In 2021 we got the opportunity to launch City Splash in a 9,000 capacity festival site and we sold out.
“In 2022 we got a larger site in Brixton, with an 18,000 person capacity, that sold that too.
“This year we are in Brockwell Park, 20,000 plus capacity and some of the biggest artists.”
Aside from City Splash, Mr Ryan has a keen interest in farming, specifically organic vegetable farming.
He said: “My background is in the music business as a live event producer, but when the lockdown happened all the events I had lined up had to be cancelled.
“I had a lot of spare time and I was always looking at what I should be doing.
“A lifelong dream of mine was to have my own self- sustainable, self-reliant food growing lifestyle. So I pursued that at a time when lots of people were thinking about being outside and healthy eating.
“Every hour I was awake, I was teaching myself to grow on scale, to grow for commercial production.”
During Covid, Mr Ryan came up with the brand Roots Farmer, and launched his business.
People in his community quickly signed up for monthly subscriptions to receive Roots Farmer produce and advertising on social media allowed the business to bloom.
Mr Ryan’s diverse career of music and farming is connected by his sense of community.
He said: “I guess it’s to do with how I was raised in a socially conscious way, that has carried into my adulthood.
“I’ve got two sons who spent the first two years of lockdown with me. As a full-time single father I take that responsibility very seriously and want to contribute to a society that is fair and full of opportunity. For people of colour that can seem unattainable. I’m driven by that and deeply passionate about our community and our culture.”
Picture: Ben Ryan, and images from last year’s City Splash Festival, Pictures: Ben Ryan/Mike Portlock/Javanie Stephens
