Horizons_Landscape_FINAL2.png

A world of music from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland/Alba and Cymru/Wales

The Horizons partnership celebrates the diverse music that comes from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland/Alba and Cymru/Wales – helping talented artists gain international recognition on the world stage.

For 10 years, the Horizons partners have joined together at WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) to ensure our grassroots musicians reach wider audiences by providing advice, funding, showcasing opportunities and assistance at the event.

WOMEX is the perfect platform to introduce our homegrown artists to peers and industry professionals from across the globe, with plentiful learning and networking opportunities across the five-day exhibition and conference.

The Horizons partnership is managed by British Underground on behalf of Arts Council England, Culture Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland, Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Wales and British Council.

our partners

WOMEX 2025

22 - 26 October

WOMEX 2025 • 22 - 26 October •

The Horizons stand at WOMEX 2024 in Manchester was a hive of activity throughout the five-day expo and conference, encouraging new and familiar faces to connect, network and share ideas.

We welcomed a record number of bursary delegates from the UK and Ireland—over 70 people joined us as WOMEX newcomers or returning attendees.

This year, Horizons also proudly showcased 11 artists to a full house, captivating audiences at the Albert Hall and Aviva Studios.

A big thank you to everyone who made the Horizons stand and stage a success in 2024.

We can’t wait to see you next year in Tampere, Finland, in 2025.

Images by Jacob Crawfurd.

HORIZONS REGIONAL STAGE ARTISTS 2024

At WOMEX 2024, Horizons showcased nine talented artists who performed on the Horizons Regional Stage at the historic Albert Hall in Manchester. The line-up was selected by a panel of music industry professionals following an open call for applications earlier this year.

The artists showcased the best roots, traditional, jazz and folk music from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland/Alba and Cymru/Wales, and included one act from the host city in partnership with Manchester Music City.

Amy Laurenson

(Scotland/Alba)

Rooted in the traditional music of Shetland, Amy explores the music of her homeland alongside traditional and folk music from Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia.

She has developed a style which ebbs and flows between traditional, classical, and jazz influences, resulting in a vision which challenges the role of the piano as a solo instrument in traditional music.

Balimaya Project

(England)

Led by composer/arranger and leading UK-based Djembe player, Yahael Camara Onono, Balimaya Project synthesize and bridge London's bustling jazz circuit with traditional repertoire and folklore of the Mandé peoples of West Africa.

As a collaborative enterprise, there's no limit to how far Balimaya Project's strength of purpose and connection can take them.

Cerys Hafana

(Wales)

Cerys Hafana is a Welsh composer and multi-instrumentalist who mangles, mutates and transforms traditional music.

She explores the creative possibilities and unique qualities of the Welsh triple harp, and is interested in found sounds, archival material and electronic processing. She comes from Machynlleth, mid-Wales, where rivers and roads meet on the way to the sea.

Córas Trio

(Northern Ireland)

Córas Trio are Ireland's hottest modern export, reinventing the spontaneous. Traditional melodies weave in and out of compelling textures that foreground fiddle, guitar and percussion with transcendental electronics; suspending elements of collective free improvisation with proper seisiún-style playfulness. 

Challenging ideas of cultural purism, they sweep the lines of contemporary musical practice, unafraid and unapologetic in their exploration of new ideas.

Gnoss

(Scotland/Alba)

Gnoss' signature sound is a rich tapestry of acoustic layers; outstanding musicianship, deep traditional roots and contemporary compositional flair combine to create songs and tunes brimming with character.

Formed by the award-winning Orkney duo of fiddler/mandolinist Graham Rorie and singer-guitarist Aidan Moodie – with Connor Sinclair (flute/whistles) and Craig Baxter (bodhran/stomp) – the Glasgow-based quartet combine live-wire instrumentals with richly stirring vocals.

Gwenifer Raymond

(England)

Gwenifer Raymond began playing guitar at the age of eight, shortly after having been first exposed to punk and grunge.

After years of playing around the Welsh valleys in various punk outfits, she began listening more to pre-war blues musicians as well as Appalachian folk players, eventually leading into the guitar players
of the American Primitive genre.

N’famady Kouyaté

(Cymru/Wales)

N'famady Kouyaté is a young energetic master musician from Guinea, who relocated to Wales in 2019. A talented multi-instrumentalist, N'famady's primary instrument is the balafon – the traditional wooden xylophone, sacred to West African culture and his family heritage of the griot/djeli.

N'famady's arrangements are a fusion of Mandingue African with western jazz, pop, indie, and funk influences provided by an ever-evolving collective of musicians.

Rioghnach Connolly

& Honeyfeet

(Manchester)

Rioghnach Connolly's taste for musical adventure is eclectic. Along with her companion players, Honeyfeet, they collectively drive a broad terrain of musical textures from esoteric protest songs to foot-tapping and floor-thumping dance rhythms.

Alongside Rioghnach, the Honeyfeet line-up is; Lorien Garth Edwards, bass; Ellis Davies, guitar; John Ellis, keyboards; Biff Roxby, brass; and Phil Howley, drums.

Strange Boy

(Ireland)

Strange Boy, a unique talent in the music industry, embodies the fusion of a millennia-old poetic spirit with the vibrant energy of modern rap. Hailing from Limerick, this innovative artist has captivated audiences with his distinctive blend of
hip-hop and Irish traditional music.

Praised as a "national treasure" in Ireland, Strange Boy's music transcends conventional boundaries, offering a fresh, genre-defying auditory experience.

playlist: Horizons at womex 2024  

Our playlist celebrates the 11 talented artists from the Horizon nations who performed on either the Official or Regional Stages at WOMEX 2024.

Listen and immerse yourself in the sounds that connect past and present, local and global, in a celebration of musical diversity and heritage.

HORIZONS Connect

'Horizons Connect' is a professional development programme provided by British Underground, seeking to enhance international networks for WOMEX 2024 in Manchester. In-person orientation presentations and community building will take place during the conference, alongside networking events and speed meetings.

See the 2024 Connect Bursary Delegate list here.

For more information and enquiries for 2025:

music SHOWCASES
at WOMEX

Showcases at WOMEX are famous for celebrating the diversity of global music, from Colombian psychedelic chicha to Estonian neo-zombie post-folk.

Venues across the chosen city host the artists, with genres spanning everything from folk, acoustic, traditional roots and jazz, to urban and electronic music.

GOT questions?

get in touch

Discover our showcasing alumni

In 2023, Horizons presented three artists who performed at the event in A Coruña, Spain. Meet last year’s headliners…

Elephant Sessions

Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Elephant Sessions combine the best of trad, funk and electronica. We spoke to them ahead of their electrifying performance at WOMEX 2023.

Matt Carmichael

Audiences at WOMEX 2023 enjoyed an outstanding set by Scottish jazz-folk saxophonist Matt Carmichael, who spoke to us about how improvisation fuels his live performances.

The Breath

Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum received a standing ovation at WOMEX 2023 after performing songs which are as likely to touch on childhood summers and first love as cultural dislocation and grief.

conference programme

The WOMEX conference programme invites expert speakers from around the world to present their topics, projects and passions to the WOMEX delegates.

film Programme

Film screenings at WOMEX include outstanding documentaries featuring musicians from all around the globe or those focused on music-related topics.

This year, British Underground’s short film, The Broadside Hack, which explored the UK’s alt-folk scene through performances, dances, and conversations.