Florence Welch will be at Hackney Weekend 2012 pic: NRK P3 (Flickr)

Florence and the Machine, Tinie Tempah, Plan B, Leona Lewis and Trevor Nelson will head the line-up for BBC Radio 1’s free music festival, in Hackney next June.

Ahead of the event, the BBC is also launching an academy for young people, offering career development, business and media skills.

The academy will open on June 1 marking the beginning of a month of outreach work ahead of Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend. Held in the Hackney Marshes, it is set to be Radio 1’s “most ambitious programme of events”. Over 100,000 free tickets will be given out, mostly to east London residents.

“Our work across the community is as important as the main live concert,” said BBC Radio 1’s event director, Jason Carter. “We have spent time consulting with many young people from east London to understand what is important to them and how Radio 1 can give them opportunities and something of lasting value.”

Among the six live music stages will be the BBC Introducing Stage, where unsigned, undiscovered musicians from east London will be invited to play.

Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said: “I’m pleased that the close partnership between the BBC and the council has made this event possible and will create a whole range of opportunities for our young residents to get involved.”

Hackney Weekend takes place June 23-24, 2012.

by Rachel Dodson