Sound Roots

Tomorrow, 15th July, the incredible duo Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary will be performing at Festival International De Dougga in Tunisia! A masterful duo, together they explore the idiosyncrasies of both Egyptian and English folk traditions.

This opportunity has come around thanks to our collaboration with Akacia Productions and British Council Tunisia funding. Now in its third year, our partnership seeks to create opportunities for artists from both Tunisia and England. This builds on 2025's successes, which saw BROUA perform at English Folk Expo in Manchester and Lily Lyons at Dougga International Festival.

Our CEO David Agnew says: "The partnership with Akacia has developed from Ben Saïd Mohamed attending English Folk Expo and WOMEX in Manchester in 2024 to Sound Roots engaging with the wider Tunisian festival industry to increase its global reach and connections, while opening up international opportunities for folk artists in England. The mutual learning is incredible and inspiring.”

English Folk Expo and Music PEI (Prince Edward Island, Canada) are proud to unveil the artists selected for the fourth edition of our special international exchange: Bev Lee Harling (England) and Tara MacLean Music (Canada) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🤝🇨🇦

Singer, violinist and composer Bev Lee Harling will travel to Canada this September for three days of writing and recording with acclaimed singer-songwriter and author Tara McLean, before showcasing at Showcase PEI.

Following their time in Canada, both artists will reunite in Manchester for a further three days of writing and rehearsing ahead of showcasing at English Folk Expo (10–12 March 2027).

We're thrilled to be bringing these two exceptional artists together and can't wait to see where this exciting transatlantic collaboration leads.

📷 Photo credit: Georgie Scott

Our Chief Executive David Agnew will be featuring on the RNCM Music Industry Panel: Music Education, the Grassroots Scene and Beyond ⭐️

Alongside DJ Deb Grant from BBC6Music and artist Nyah Grace, this panel will explore the question where does music education sit in the real world of gigs, radio, and industry work? 🎵

Listen in on the conversation around how careers begin and build, and the wider context that supports that journey alongside formal study. Book your free ticket on the RNCM website 🎟️🔗

📆 Tuesday 9 June
🕐 1pm
📍RNCM Lecture Theatre, 124 Oxford Road, M13 9RD

Photo by Harry Proctor 📸