Keane support performers with festival donation

An East Sussex arts festival says it is "delighted" to have received a donation from rock band Keane, which it says will help to support performers in the area.

Battle Festival said on social media that it had received a donation from the band, who started their careers in the town.

David Furness, chair of the Battle Festival trustees, said the funding will help develop talent which is "paying back and paving the way for new artists".

He added: "Keane are great friends of the festival, so this is wonderful news."

Furness said: "They have played at the festival at least twice over the years, but this year they weren't around so they have very kindly made a generous donation.

"It's lovely to know they haven't forgotten their formative years. This will help us to mentor and develop new talent."

Famous for their hits Somewhere Only We Know and Everybody's Changing, Keane formed in 1995.

The band has had four UK top 10 singles, and five UK number one albums, according to the Official Charts.

Growing up in Battle, the band's fifth album Strangeland charts their youth in the East Sussex town, including the single Sovereign Lights Cafe, named after an establishment in Bexhill.

Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley is also a patron of the festival, which the band played a show for at Battle Abbey in 2018.

Battle Festival began on 10 July, and is set to finish on Sunday.

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