As Brighton’s Boundary Festival prepares for its second year, co-director Luke Ralph tells Josh Walton about the one-day event’s highlights and line-up.

What was the main theme or concept behind Boundary when it launched last year?

Boundary wanted to take the best of Brighton’s creative energy, lust for life and generosity of spirit to create a unique festival Brighton could be proud of. Located on the edge of the Sussex Boundary Walk we wanted to transcend previous conceptions of what an immersive party experience can be. We wanted to push the people of Sussex’s festival-going experience right to the limit.

How has the festival and the acts/genres involved changed since last year?

Boundary is heading in to its second year and it is very much a case of maintaining the good will and praise it received and carrying that positive energy and vibe in to this year’s instalment. The festival this year has grown to become more accessible in terms of the acts we have booked. Last year was a huge success. We wanted to build on that and introduce new people to the festival. We have booked acts across a more varied range of genres.

What are your personal highlights this year?

Personally I’m really looking forward to welcoming back Chase and Status. We (Brighton ROX) had them last year at Fright Festival and they really are the pinnacle of festival bookings. It doesn’t get much better than having Chase and Status headline your festival! Apart from that it’s fantastic to have MK back in Brighton, My Nu Leng and TQD are always hugely popular, Sonny Fodera has had a great year and is one to watch.

We also have a collective of artists known as The Fedz who are hosting their own stage this year. They are definitely a group to watch and they will host a fantastic party all day. They are ones to watch for sure.

Do you consider it a festival for a younger audience or are you trying to cater to all age groups?

Without question the festival scene is driven by the younger audience and generation. They help shape what sound is popular and dictate what artists are currently ‘hot’ to book but Boundary, very much like Brighton as a city, doesn’t discriminate against anyone and welcomes people of all ages.

We have a diverse line-up and have targeted our marketing towards people of all ages. It is meant to just be a fun party that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

How did it feel to book Andy C as special guest?

Andy C, for me, is the biggest name you can possibly book in drum and bass.

The reception has been overwhelming since we announced him too. You would be hard pressed to find anyone at all who has had a bad word to say about the Andy C announcement.

Where did you learn how to put together a festival like this and how to book the acts?

It’s taken a long time! I started out as a ticket seller for the first-ever Shakedown and progressed from that all the way up to actually running my own festivals over the last three years. To start with when you do it yourself it’s very hard to book or convince any of the big or well known artists to play. Perseverance and putting on good shows to get the attention of bigger brands and partners is how we have done it. The bigger brands who are willing to work with you as you offer them a value often have access to bigger artists, which in turn helps raise your profile and helps you grow your reputation. It just takes a lot of time and hard work and you can’t be afraid of failure or things not working out.

Why did you choose Brighton to host Boundary?

All the directors are either from Brighton and run their businesses in Brighton or have an affinity with the city.

For us, it’s the best city in the world and with it being so diverse and accommodating you really can’t go wrong as there will always be someone or a group of people who love what you are trying to do.

Where do you see the festival in a few years’ time?

Hopefully growing each and every year into something that is synonymous with the city and a festival everyone from Brighton can be proud of and looks forward to each year.