Global Local

21st Century Silk Road

This is a whirlwind tour of the Ancient Silk Road from China to Spain with bands from Eastern Europe, Chinese Theatre, Flamenco and Northern Asian Music.
This is our longest running program and we are still constantly inspired to replenish the package with new artists from across the Eastern European diaspora and beyond.

Latin Quarter

Partner: Movimientos
Since 2008, Movimientos has brought a unique and radical perspective to the Global Local project. They have a direct link to the underground and relish unearthing the hidden gems of the Latin scene.
Latin Quarter attempts to broaden conceptions of Latin music beyond the mainstream genres by representing the Latin and UK artists and acts who are striving to create exciting fusions of music, from that with folkloric roots to cutting edge electronic music.
The diverse array of acts on this roster includes artists with African, Andean, Caribbean and Spanish influences, from folk roots, to latin jazz, salsa and samba, to cumbia, ska, flamenco, the urban beats of hip hop and reggaeton and electronic and experimental sounds. Often the acts will often incorporate a dance or striking visual element.

Acoustic Soundclash (New Folk, Old Folk, No Folk)

Partner: Magpie’s Nest
The Magpie's Nest is a new wave folk and acoustic club, established in March 2006. The brainchild of Joe Buirski and Sam Lee, who were both dissatisfied with the lack of folk clubs in London catering to a younger audience, the club sets out to showcase the entire spectrum of the folk music genre in a fresh and refreshing way.
With terms like "nu folk" being bandied about in the media, and people heralding the "new revival", The Magpie’s Nest showcases the artists prompting this excitement. However, as both Joe and Sam have a strong appreciation for tradition, they provide a platform where all aspects of the genre can be explored. Not only that, they also seek to highlight those artists influenced by traditional material and making new music, but who would not necessarily call themselves folk acts. This programming policy informs the club mantra: New Folk, Old Folk, No Folk.

Desert Remix

Partners: Mecca 2 Medina, Ramadan Festival, Platform Magazine
Arabic and Middle Eastern music is often overlooked by the mainstream, despite the fact it is currently booming in the underground scene. The last few years has seen an explosion of Islamic crossover music from reggae to hip hop, to belly dancing breakbeats. We have been supporting this music for over 15 years and view it as an essential way of showcasing the Arabic cultures of the UK in a completely positive way.

African Rootmaster

Partner: Wormfood
New African music has suddenly exploded across the world of popular music in ways few could have predicted. There is a new wave of African music taking the traditions to a thousand different places and creating an education for a whole new generation. Bands like Vampire Weekend and The Very Best have smashed the charts with African remixes; Africa Express (a vast Damon Albarn led project) mixes all the latest chart acts with Africa’s greatest; the Manu Chao produced Amadou and Mariam are a runaway chart success story.
Wormfood, our partners, promote African music and its new and brilliant hybrids across London and the UK.

Sanctuary

Partner: Shrine
Since the first emergence of pop music, the UK has been at the cutting edge: today it is still one of our best exports. The UK’s musical and cultural landscape wouldn’t be the bubbling hotbed of rhythms and melodies that it is without the contribution and influence of refugees and refugee communities.
Sanctuary features a dazzling array of artists performing traditional, modern and uniquely contemporary music, ranging from marineras fusions from Peru, to Iranian indie, rootsy Ethiopian funk and jazzed up Soviet folk music and celebrates the UK’s long and proud tradition of providing refuge for those fleeing persecution and war.

Attitude

Attitude is Everything is an organisation that seeks to improve access to live music for deaf and disabled people by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry to implement a Charter of Best Practice across the UK. It was set up in response to disabled people's complaints of unfair treatment at music venues, clubs and festivals. The project was set up in 2000 to work positively with the industry to raise awareness and was launched as an independent charity in 2008.