ABOUT ENGLISH FOLK EXPO

DELEGATE PROGRAMME

English Folk Expo welcomes UK and international music industry to Manchester each October. It is the only dedicated music industry event for this specialist genre taking place in England. If you consider yourself to be part of England’s folk, roots or acoustic music sector then this is the best place to network, learn, innovate and grow your organisation.

Each year we present more than 50 amazing export-ready artists in a range of established music venues. We hope that the music programme is a place of discovery and exploration for delegates.

We are keen to invite promoters, bookers, festival organisers, programmers, labels, agents, managers and anyone who can actively engage with the event.

If you are based outside of the UK, we have a limited number of FREE places available. Please contact our Sales Director, Terry O’Brien to discuss free and discounted places as well as to be considered for our small bursary fund.

A delegate pass gives the holder access to all networking events, all showcase performances, the trade fair and all conference sessions. Delegates are also listed in our bespoke App and are connected to other delegates to facilitate networking and relationship building.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

For the first time in 2023, we will be introducing a conference programme aimed at those building a career in the music industry. This is for artists looking to find out more about the business side of building a sustainable career, or it might be for early career volunteers or professionals considering starting a business or growing expertise in the music industry.

In addition, the European Folk Network will be hosting their annual conference at the event.

Conference pass holders will get access to EFN conference sessions, the new music industry panel sessions as well as the trade fair.

There are opportunities to buy a conference and festival pass bundle which also gives access to the public Manchester Folk Festival concert programme.

Conference passes are a great and affordable way to build your professional network, learn about the music industry and engage with English Folk Expo.

ARTIST APPLICATIONS

We accept applications to showcase from folk, roots or acoustic musicians who are either English or resident in England. Applications to perform in 2023 are now open until Sunday 15th January 2023.

Showcasing artists receive a fee and a free conference pass. They are listed in the delegate app. We strongly encourage showcasing artists to ensure that either they or their representative purchase a delegate pass.

Most showcasing artists perform on Manchester Folk Festival stages, with the remaining showcasing artists performing at English Folk Expo private delegate only showcases such as receptions.

MANCHESTER

From 2023, English Folk Expo will be based in Manchester’s vibrant Northern Quarter with venues including Band on the Wall, Halle St Peters and Night & Day. All showcasing venues are in a close proximity to each other (within 10mins walk). There are plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants nearby.

Arriving by air: Central Manchester is just 10 miles/15 minutes drive from Manchester Airport. For airlines flying into Manchester Airport click here.

Arriving by rail: There are three main stations in the cirt centre: Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria. Both Victoria and Piccadilly are a 10-15min walk from the Northern Quarter. For train times, tickets and other information, you can search via the Trainline website.

Arriving by car: Manchester is well connected to the rest of the UK via excellent motorway links. The M60 ring road connects the city to motorways north, south east and west. A list of Northern Quarter car parks can be found here.

Where to stay: There are loads of hotels to suit every taste and price point all within a short walk of the Northern Quarter venues. We recommend shopping around for the best deals and strongly encourage advance booking as Manchester can become expensive if you leave things until the last minute. Here are some hotels.