PAYING HOMAGE: Ben Ryan | Founder of City Splash Festival

We’re back shining a light on the creatives shaping the cultural landscape, and as City Splash gears up for another unforgettable edition, we had the privilege of catching up with the festival’s visionary founder, Ben Ryan.

Raised in Dalston, with a mother deeply involved in Black community projects, Ben’s passion for creating authentic Caribbean and African experiences was ingrained in him from an early age. His journey in events began at just 17 years old, organizing parties for pirate radio stations, and that grassroots hustle has evolved into one of the UK’s most important celebrations of Black music and culture.

City Splash has become a beacon for the scene, uniting communities and giving legendary artists their flowers. From Chronixx’s only show in seven years to Capleton’s long-awaited UK return after 13 years, the festival has delivered historic moments that will be remembered for a lifetime.

With another edition on the horizon, we sat down with Ben to talk about his journey, the mission behind City Splash, and how he continues to push the culture forward. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did unpacking it!

Photography by. OLA

So, let’s take it back to the beginning. What was your upbringing like, and how did it shape you to becoming the entrepreneur that you are today?

I grew up in Dalston, raised by my mum who was very active in running black community projects in the local area throughout my childhood. I think that made me passionate about doing projects that supported the black community.

Everybody has that friend that knows how to throw a party, get everybody together, and bring good vibes. Were you that friend in your social circle, or did you discover your ability to throw events further along the line?

I threw my first party (for a pirate radio station) when I was 17 and basically have been putting on parties and events ever since. I love to be around people and be in the mix and organise social activities. 

What was your main motive or inspiration for starting City Splash, and did you ever envision it would grow to this scale?

I wanted to start city splash because I felt that there was a big community that wants to go to large scale authentic Caribbean (and African) events and watch their favourite artists and be amongst their community in a carnival atmosphere. It's like the 'all-dayers' that we all grew up on.

Photography by. OLA

You’ve hosted some incredible acts over the last 4 years. Are there any stand-out performances or sets that jump out? Personal favourites, sentimental moments with family…. What moment do you look back on with immense pride?

I think one of the best sets was Sister Nancy in 2022. A stand out moment for me was being able to book Chronixx for the only show he has played in the last 7 years. The biggest moment has been Capleton headlining the 2024 event with his first UK performance in 13 years. That was huge!

City Splash feels like one of the only opportunities in the UK to celebrate Caribbean & African culture. What else do you think is missing to celebrate all aspects of the culture? Who can do more, and how do you think brands can do more?

I think it is up to us ( members of the Caribbean and African communities) to do more. I don't believe in relying on anyone outside the culture to champion us, whether that be brands, government etc. Anything is possible, just need a good vision and passion to achieve it.

2025 marks your fifth year running the festival. From the Brockwell Park festival through to the Winter show at Drumsheds, City Splash is growing at an immense rate, and we can’t wait to see what you have in store. Can you share any upcoming plans for the festival?

I really want to focus more on the audience experience this year - So things like new activations on site and new

VIP offerings.

Rumour has it that you’re exploring charity initiatives to support under represented artists. Can you tell us a bit more about this and your motivation behind it?

Social justice and community development have always been core to my work and the city splash ethos. We have quietly been supporting a lot of charities and done a lot of not-for-profit work over the last five years. We are now going to increase the number of people and organisations we support and shine a spotlight on this work more.

The team here at CGuk are truly honoured to have the opportunity to get some insight into the journeys and mindset of an incredibly hard working industry professionals, and we would like to take this opportunity to say...we appreciate you and the amazing work you do. Stay creative!