ABOUT EFEx SHOWCASE

REGISTER AS A DELEGATE

English Folk Expo Showcase welcomes UK and international music industry to Manchester each October.

Our showcase is focussed on outcomes. As a result, places are heavily subsidised to ensure that we attract the most appropriate delegates. It is essential that every place we offer must go to a delegate who can work with our showcasing artists. This means we are keen to invite promoters, bookers, festival organisers, programmes, labels, agents, managers and who can actively engage with the event.

Places are limited and available on an invitation basis but approaches from relevant industry are encouraged. Registrations open in mid-November each year. We have a limited number of FREE places available to non-UK delegates. Please let us know if you are based outside the UK and interested in attending.

Please be assured that you can book with confidence. Should any government guidance related to COVID-19 result in a reschedule or cancellation of the event, you will be given the option to move your place to a rescheduled date or receive a refund.
We recommend that international travelers obtain travel insurance which includes cover for COVID-19 related eventualities.

APPLY TO SHOWCASE

We accept applications to showcase from folk, roots or acoustic musicians who are either English or resident in England. Applications for 2021 are now closed. Applications to showcase in 2022 will open in November 2021.

There is more information about showcasing in our guide:

Showcasing Guide

INFORMATION FOR ARTISTS

Manchester Folk Festival is open to the public as well as English Folk Expo delegates, giving English Folk Expo delegates a chance to see showcasing artists performing in a concert environment in front of a live audience. Manchester Folk Festival is programmed by EFEx Artistic Director, David Agnew.

We are proud to say that artists performing at Manchester Folk Festival/English Folk Expo are not charged a registration or application fee and will be paid a fee for their performance.

Approximately 75% of showcasing artists perform on Manchester Folk Festival stages, with the remaining showcasing artists performing at English Folk Expo private delegate only showcases including receptions and the Festival Club.

All showcasing artists are expected to be export ready. English Folk Expo defines export readiness as follows:

– Artists can demonstrate experience of regular live performances across the UK and potentially beyond
– Have released an album in the past 24 months or are planning to release an album in the next 12 months. They must be able to demonstrate knowledge of distributing and promoting recorded music, including physical and digital distribution channels both in the UK and internationally.
– Have a team in place to cover the roles of manager, booking agent, label and distributor. Where an artist is self-representing, they must be able to demonstrate knowledge of these areas.
– Have a quality, multiplatform and up to date online presence, relevant to target market.
– Can articulate a strategy for developing their career and how performing in a new territory supports their career progression.

Plus they must be of suitable quality to be of interest to our delegates and the audiences at our partner festival.

If you are not selected to showcase this time, you can still keep up to date with the latest from the sector and even make contact with delegates directly by subscribing to our digital platform, EFEx Digital. This costs £30 each year for artists and is a great way to network and present your music to the industry.

INFORMATION FOR DELEGATES

English Folk Expo welcomes music industry representatives from the UK and across the world to this showcase of professional, export-ready contemporary and traditional English folk, roots and acoustic music artists, suitable for venue and festival programmes, agency rosters and artistic collaborations.

Places are limited and available on an invitation basis but approaches from relevant industry are encouraged. Registrations open in mid-November each year. We have a limited number of FREE places available to non-UK delegates. Please let us know if you are based outside the UK and interested in attending.

EFEx runs from late afternoon on Thursday, with delegates departing on Sunday morning. 2021 dates are 21st-24th October. EFEx is held the weekend before WOMEX each year, with WOMEX starting on the Wednesday following EFEx.

If you are a music programmer and have a budget that can be used to book English folk, roots and acoustic artists for your festivals or events we would be interested in inviting you to EFEx.

We have various opportunities available to reach our delegates through the Trade Fair, Advertising and Sponsorship. You can find more information here.

If you would like to attend the next English Folk Expo, please complete the form on the link below and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

ABOUT MANCHESTER

EFEx Showcase is based at HOME and surrounding venues Manchester, in the North West of England. HOME is a £25m arts centre featuring a theatre, studio, gallery, five cinema spaces, a restaurant and bar and is located next door to the hotel Innside within a pedestrianised zone, just five minutes walk from a selection of exceptional venues and alternative hotel options.

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: Trains from Manchester Airport go direct to Deansgate station in 22 minutes/4 stops. Deansgate is 4 mins walk from HOME. For travel times to Manchester from elsewhere in the UK including airports click here, where trains can also be booked. Alternatively, you can search via the Trainline website.

Arriving by car: Parking is available in the Q Park next door to HOME.

Where to stay: Registered delegates will have access to a limited number of special rate rooms at a variety of hotels close to our hub venue, HOME.