FUZE has launched in London, here’s everything you need to know about the charity

Bristol-based non-profit organisation FUZE has spread across the country with their new launch in London, among other big UK cities. What started as a uni society has now become a national brand, with the aim to expose and celebrate diverse talents to agencies, kickstarting careers of young performers.

The London Tab was invited to FUZE’s launch party in London, which was in collaboration with DICE, a ticketing and live stream app that makes gigs accessible to a wide range of fans. Both companies have a core focus on inclusivity and diversity in their communities, so this event was a complete celebration of UK talent.

Pippa Adamthwaite-Cook, Managing Director of FUZE UK, told the Tab: “This is just the beginning for FUZE. We want more people to see and feel the huge benefits FUZE can bring to their life – we have all worked hard to foster an inclusive safe space in Bristol known as our FUZE family so we were overwhelmed by the response in London, and can see our family growing already.”

From pole dancers and choreographers, to DJs, singers and models, every young creative had something amazing to say about FUZE as an organisation, and how its purpose is not just to formally network with others, but develop a massive and supportive group of friends.

Not a single member of FUZE is paid, which just shows the dedication and commitment these students have for the brand and for the possibilities of its talented creatives.

Rocking up to Metropolis at 2.00pm for FUZE’s launch party, the last thing you’d expect is to realise that it’s a strip club. But after the initial double-take, and mandatory eye adjusting to nightclub-mode in the afternoon, it ended up being the perfect setting for this unique launch party to promote a sense of bodily freedom, and the joy of movement.

Featuring an incredibly talented line-up of singers, including Lebo, Asriel, and with Eliza Legzdina headlining, in collaboration with BPM Music Collective, and sponsored by MAC and Select Models, there are some big things happening now that FUZE has landed in London.

Speaking to attendees of the event, there seemed to be an overarching pride of how far FUZE has come, and an amazement of the diverse range of talent all in one room. It gave existing members of FUZE an opportunity to introduce their friends and create a safe social space to talk about their interests.

Munio, a 29 year old French dancer and choreographer who performed alongside a few of the singers, told the Tab that after moving to London a year and a half ago, the FUZE community was a “great way to make friends and collaborate with other young artists”.

Claudia, the Marketing Director of FUZE, said she worked in the organisation as a model last year and switched to singing this year, which has allowed her to “really pursue the things I love doing”. She said her goal in marketing is to “spread the message as far as possible”.

After the event, the London Tab got in touch with radio production assistant, travel presenter and Managing Director Pippa, a 22 year old Bristol student who has worked in FUZE for nearly three years.

After the expansion and her move from Managing Director in Bristol to UK, Pippa “moved away from the annual show we put on” and is now “working on brand expansion and growth of the organization”. In the last 18 months they have gained over 3,000 followers on Instagram and expanded their committee to 65 people.

She said: “FUZE as an organization has been going on since 2003, and we are incredibly grateful and proud of our legacy and the people who have come before us. Bristol will remain our home and our final show will continue to be hosted and managed by young people in Bristol.

“However, due to our huge growth over the pandemic, we saw the opportunity to reach and support more people, not just within Bristol but across the whole UK.

As a lot of FUZE alumni “end up here after they leave FUZE”, the team decided to start their UK-wide expansion in London with a launch party in Bethnal Green. Pippa said that this “change to FUZE UK allows us to support more young people, put on more events, and raise more money for charity”.

“Seeing so many happy faces, it was an incredibly positive event with a lovely set of people who shared our values. It was amazing for us to feel so much love in London at our first event.”

FUZE’s ability to develop such a strong and safe platform for members of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities was just amazing. Above all else, it showed us where the future of talent really lies.

If you want to get involved in FUZE UK, visit their Instagram here or their website here, where details of future castings will be posted.

Featured image credit: @alicesuttonphotography on @fuze_uk 

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