Sound Roots

Sound Roots Sound Roots helps people to build independent music careers.

As a registered charity, we support the sector through offering opportunities for artists via festivals, events, industry showcasing, mentoring and more.

Introducing this year’s Folk Album of the Year Award juryFrom renowned writers and musicians to iconic broadcasters and ...
09/10/2026

Introducing this year’s Folk Album of the Year Award jury

From renowned writers and musicians to iconic broadcasters and acclaimed record producers, meet the distinguished panel who will select this year’s shortlist.

🔸 Alexandria Carr (KOKO London)
🔸 Amy-Jane B**r (Author)
🔸 Ben Edge (Visual Artist)
🔸 Dónall Mac Ruairí (Musician / broadcaster)
🔸 Georgia Ruth (BBC Cymru and musician)
🔸 Jenna Reid (Musician)
🔸 Jo Frost (Journalist)
🔸 Jude Rogers (The Guardian)
🔸 Katch Holmes (Knockengorroch Festival)
🔸 Lynette Fay (Broadcaster / producer)
🔸 Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2)
🔸 Philip Selway (Radiohead)
🔸 Jury advisor: Joe Boyd (Record Producer / Author)
🔸 Jury chair: Kellie While (Sound Roots / Pomona Audio)

The Folk Album of the Year Award aims to showcase the breadth and diversity of folk music across Britain and Ireland celebrating originality, artistic quality and cultural impact, regardless of commercial profile.

Submissions are now open to artists and their representatives and will close at 23:59 on Friday 30 October 2026. Find out more via the link in the comments.

⏳ Closing tomorrow!Applications for the Artist Mentoring Pathway 2027/28 close Friday 25 September at 11:59pm.This 12-m...
24/09/2026

⏳ Closing tomorrow!

Applications for the Artist Mentoring Pathway 2027/28 close Friday 25 September at 11:59pm.

This 12-month programme gives emerging folk, roots and acoustic musicians the skills, networks and industry experience to grow their careers and reach new audiences.

Previous AMP cohort member Katherine Priddy says, “The Artist Mentoring Scheme played a very important role in a pivotal chapter of my career, when I made the move from part-time to full-time musician and prepared for the release of my first album… I walked away feeling more sure of myself, both professionally and personally, and with a much firmer understanding of the industry and the release process - all crucial lessons that I still use now.”

Apply now via the link in the comments 🔗

Our Callout for Trustees closes this weekend - Help Shape the Future of Sound Roots! 🌱We are expanding our board of Trus...
22/09/2026

Our Callout for Trustees closes this weekend - Help Shape the Future of Sound Roots! 🌱

We are expanding our board of Trustees and looking for people with a connection to, or working understanding of, folk music in England.

We’re particularly interested in expertise across partnerships & networks, music sector knowledge, international development and finance.

We’re keen to hear from people from underrepresented backgrounds, including global majority, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent and working-class communities, as well as people with caring responsibilities.

Apply via the Sound Roots website.

📅 Deadline: midnight, Sunday 27 September
📷 Charlotte Carpenter photographed by Chris Payne

Today the recipients of the Greater Manchester Culture Fund have been announced! Over three years, the GM Culture Team a...
21/09/2026

Today the recipients of the Greater Manchester Culture Fund have been announced! Over three years, the GM Culture Team are investing £15 million into cultural organisations to bring culture and opportunity closer to home across all ten boroughs.

We’re so grateful to have been selected as recipients for the Culture Fund, alongside so many of Greater Manchester’s inspiring organisations - like Brighter Sound, manchester jazz festival and Breaking Barriers, to name but a few!

Our CEO David Agnew says, “Sound Roots is proud and grateful to be part of the GM cultural portfolio. As a national organisation working from Greater Manchester the funding allows us to impact on artists and audiences across the city region and work collaboratively with the incredible cultural organisations included in today’s announcement.”

💭 What does folk singing mean in England today and who takes part?Earlier this week, Anna Anise, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilco...
10/09/2026

💭 What does folk singing mean in England today and who takes part?

Earlier this week, Anna Anise, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Satnam Galsian and Maddie Morris Music came together to develop new work and draw from their existing repertoires for a unique new collaboration, inspired by Access Folk’s groundbreaking five-year research project exploring this question.

Presented by Sound Roots and supported by Access Folk at the The University of Sheffield, each artist will bring a distinctive perspective on belonging, participation and the evolving traditions of folk singing.

This collaboration will culminate in an inspiring and thought-provoking evening of music, conversation and connection on Thursday 5 November 2026 in Firth Hall, University of Sheffield.

After seeing a glimpse of what’s been taking shape this week, we’re incredibly excited to see how these ideas come together on stage! Tickets are now available via the Manchester Folk website.

At the end of last month, Sound Roots had the privilege of being part of - Season 3 🇮🇳Our CEO & Artistic Director, Dav...
04/09/2026

At the end of last month, Sound Roots had the privilege of being part of - Season 3 🇮🇳

Our CEO & Artistic Director, David Agnew, attended with the aim of developing international opportunities for artists from England, while also discovering the incredible talent emerging from India and across Asia.

We hope to build meaningful connections that create opportunities for collaboration, artistic development and cultural exchange between artists in the UK, India and beyond.

20/08/2026

EFN Talking Points Online is a new series of online conversations bringing together different voices to explore issues that matter to the folk community. Take note: 15th September, 12:00 CEST

David Agnew is one of our panellists. He is the Chief Executive of Sound Roots – a charity based in Manchester, UK committed to developing opportunities and development for folk roots and acoustic artists based in or from England. Our flagship event is our annual showcase, ( English Folk Expo ) which runs alongside Manchester Folk Festival for 3 days across 10 venues in March. Sound Roots also delivers talent development programmes including mentoring and international exchange projects, commissions touring projects, Britain and Ireland Folk Albums of the Year, the Official Charts Monthly Folk Album Chart and promotes concerts throughout Greater Manchester. Sound Roots is supported by Arts Council England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is a PRSF Talent Development Network member.
Previously he has worked as Artistic Director with The Met in Bury, Founder and Artistic Director with Manchester Folk Festival, Ramsbottom Festival and Head for the Hills Festival. David is on the board of Association of Independent Festivals (UK) , Access Folk and the Greater Manchester Music Commission.
Learn more in http://www.soundroots.uk

➡️ Register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/EJvTL4fZSpqXpg8RYS6low

FolkEast bound? We’ll see you there! 👋Tomorrow, our outstanding 2026/2027 Artist Mentoring Pathway cohort will be perfor...
20/08/2026

FolkEast bound? We’ll see you there! 👋

Tomorrow, our outstanding 2026/2027 Artist Mentoring Pathway cohort will be performing at The Barn between 1pm and 5.30pm.

Multi-award-winning harp and percussion duo Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black, two-man trad tornado Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell, progressive alt-folk artist Ceitidh Mac and Something Sleeps, a dream-folk band known for their breathtaking harmonies, will all grace the stage at Sotterley Estate.

Come and support this exceptional collection of artists - we hope to see you there!

📢 Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway 2027/2028 – Applications Now Open 📢We’re looking for our next cohort of emerging ...
14/08/2026

📢 Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway 2027/2028 – Applications Now Open 📢

We’re looking for our next cohort of emerging folk, roots and acoustic artists!

Our flagship 12-month pathway is designed to help early-career musicians take the next step, building their industry knowledge, professional networks and profile, while gaining experience performing at some of the UK’s leading folk events.

If you’re new to Sound Roots, this is an opportunity to develop the skills, connections and confidence to navigate the music industry, reach new audiences and build a sustainable career, including support to become export ready.

And if you’ve applied before, we’d love to hear from you again!

📩 Find out more and apply now via the link in the comments.
📅 Closing date: Friday 25 September, 11:59pm

Thanks to our funders, including Jerwood Foundation, PRS Foundation Talent Development Network, Greater Manchester Combined Authority Culture Fund, The Leche Trust and Arts Council England, whose support makes our Artist Mentoring Pathway possible.

📸 Pictured: Anna McLuckie, photographed by Mark Lear at EFEx 2026

Help Shape the Future of Sound Roots 🌱Sound Roots is expanding its Board of Trustees and looking for people with a conne...
10/08/2026

Help Shape the Future of Sound Roots 🌱

Sound Roots is expanding its Board of Trustees and looking for people with a connection to, or working understanding of, folk music in England.

We’re particularly interested in expertise across partnerships & networks, music sector knowledge, international development and finance.

We’re keen to hear from people from underrepresented backgrounds, including global majority, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent and working-class communities, as well as people with caring responsibilities.

Apply via the Sound Roots website or link in the comments.

📅 Deadline: midnight, Sunday 27 September
📸 Sam Lee photographed by Mark Lear

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