Purbeck Rising
We have thousands of applications from bands to perform at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival every year. We think we make pretty good choices when it comes to the music but as Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is your festival as well as ours, we thought it might be a good idea to let you do some of the deciding!
How do I vote?
There will be an online vote between Wednesday 27th March 2024 – Wednesday 3rd April 2024. The vote will take place through our social media channels (usually a poll on Facebook). Check back here in March to see who has made it to the public vote, and how to vote for your favourite!
Previous winners:
2023 – Arquebus Trio & Rachel Hill (joint winners)
2022 – Rob Clamp
2021 – Calum Gilligan and Dead Horse Bay (joint winners)
2020 – Good Habits
2019 – Ben Morgan-Brown
2018 – Roswell
2017 – Antoine & Owena
2016 – Delphis
2015 – Aidan & the Wildfires
2014 – Lily of Barbary
2013 – Big Tent & the Gypsy Lantern
How do I enter?
To enter Purbeck Rising 2024, artists should fill in the following form with a link to a live YouTube video and their contact details before Friday 8th March 2024.
We will watch & listen to all the applications, and shortlist the top 10 (or so) acts. These shortlisted artists / bands will then be put up for a public vote between 27th March – 3rd April 2024 with the 5 most popular acts going through to the final.
The 5 Purbeck Rising Finalists will be invited to attend the festival, as well as perform in the Purbeck Rising Showcase Final from 12pm on Saturday 17th August 2024 – where judges (and the audience) vote for the winner!
Judges at the showcase final include representatives from PVFF, Wimborne Folk Festival, Wessex Folk Festival, Bridport Folk Festival as well as local folk club organisers – so a true showcase!
Fast Track to Final – we reserve the right to hand out a golden ticket and fast track someone to the finals if we spot them at a local open mic and we think they would do well in the showcase at the festival.
The prize
One act will be chosen for a paid slot on a main stage at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival next year.
Representatives from Wimborne, Wessex, and Bridport Folk Festivals and local folk clubs are part of the panel and may also select acts from the showcase to appear at their festivals! 🙂