Cambridge Folk Festival is very excited to announce that the former Club Tent will officially become Stage 3 this year, offering fabulous showcase opportunities for up-and-coming artists from across the UK and Ireland.
Augmenting the partnership Cambridge already has with English Folk Expo, in 2023 the Festival will also be welcoming Showcase Scotland Expo, Wales Arts International and Culture Ireland, to reach beyond its existing community, welcoming new folks into the Cambridge family and remaining a platform for championing the “grass roots” end of the music industry.
Lisa Whytock, Showcase Scotland Expo: We are delighted to present to you four of Scotland’s best young artists. Each with award accolades including the BBC, the four artists offer a taste of the new and contemporary talent that call Scotland home.
We are extremely pleased to be partnering with the Cambridge Folk Festival and to also see so many Scottish artists who have worked with us in the past, now performing on the main stages. A huge thanks to Creative Scotland for their support and we hope that you enjoy this programme and if time allows will visit Scotland for one of our wonderful annual festivals.
Eluned Haf Head of Wales Arts International at Arts Council of Wales said:
“Following a phenomenal year at Celtic Connections, I’m delighted that there will be a Wales spotlight at Cambridge. Festivals across our nations provide important stages for artists and audiences to engage in some of the incredible talents we share. In the week leading up to the National Eisteddfod of Wales, the national celebration of Welsh language culture in the Llyn Peninsula, we’ll be presenting some of the finest Welsh language talents from Wales in Cambridge. In the Year of Wales in France, and in the lead up to the Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival, we’re thrilled to present Lleuwen, who sings in both Welsh and Bretton. Pedair are a supergroup of female Welsh folk musicians, Gwilym Bowen Rhys is a true tradition barer and Cerys Hafana’s sublime vocals and intricate boundary pushing triple harp playing is a feast not to be missed.”
Sharon Barry, Director, Culture Ireland commented: “We are delighted to be able to partner with Cambridge Folk Festival on this new initiative to bring new voices from the vibrant emerging Irish trad and folk scene to an international audience.”
Alongside the showcase artists, the full Stage 3 line-up will include hotly-tipped names from across the globe:
Blood Harmony - Doug Levitt - Faith I Branko - Georgie Buchanan Trio - Granny's Attic - Jesca Hoop
Mikey Kenney - Nigel Wearne - Núria Graham - Pavey Ark - Sons of Town Hall - The Vanguards
This fantastic new Stage 3 programme adds to the stellar names announced for Stages 1 and 2 (in alphabetical order):
Akram Abdulfattah - Amy Laurenson - Angeline Morrison & The Sorrow Songs Band - Angélique Kidjo
The Armagh Rhymers - Arrested Development - The Ayoub Sisters - Baskery - Beth Malcolm
Blood Harmony - Blue Rose Code - Breabach - Catrin Finch and Cimarrón - Cerys Hafana - The Chair
Chloe Matharu - Clare Sands - Daoirí Farrell Trio - Doug Levitt - Elephant Sessions
Eliza Carthy & The Restitution - Emily Fraser - Faith I Branko - Ferris & Sylvester
Fisherman's Friends - Flyte - Gangstagrass - Gentleman's Dub Club - Georgie Buchanan Trio - Gnoss
Grace Petrie - Gráinne Hunt - Granny's Attic - Gwilym Bowen Rhys - The Henry Girls - Hollie Cook
Honey & The Bear - Ibibio Sound Machine - Imelda May - James Yorkston & Nina Persson
Jesca Hoop - Jinda Biant - Judy Collins and The Unity String Quartet celebrating Wildflowers
Julian Taylor Band - Kate Rusby - Kiefer Sutherland - Lady Blackbird - Le Vent Du Nord - Lleuwen
The Longest Johns - Max Bianco - Maya Delilah - Michael McGovern - Mikey Kenney - Nick Cope
Nigel Wearne - Niteworks - Núria Graham - Oi Va Voi - Pavey Ark - Pedair - The Proclaimers
Rufus Wainwright - The Sharon Shannon Trio - Simeon Hammond Dallas - Siobhan Miller Band
Síomha - The Smith & Brewer Band - Sons of Town Hall - St. Lundi - Stornoway - Symbio
The Vanguards - William Prince
As well as the world-class music, there is so much more to enjoy over the Festival weekend, including dedicated children’s activities; workshops on instrument making and song writing; a silent disco, storytelling, clog dancing, tai-chi, and an incredible selection of mouth-watering food trucks and bars from some of Cambridge's finest food merchants. The Festival is also proud to have been deemed “Outstanding” at the Greener Festival Awards.
Taking place from July 27-30 in the beautiful grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall, Weekend and Day tickets are now on sale at: www.cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival/tickets
