The acclaimed duo of Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson are Stiff Gins. With more than two decades of music making they are Australia’s longest performing Indigenous female group and stand as matriarchal pioneers in the Australian Blak music scene. Stiff Gins bring audiences a powerful blend of music, culture and language, delivered through breathtaking harmonies and warm, witty storytelling. Their performances create an atmosphere of joy, spirit and deep connection, all while Kaleena and Nardi continue to nurture emerging First Nations musicians and share their artistry with audiences around the world. Their newest album, Crossroads, has been recognised as a finalist in the NSW Music Prize for Best First Nations Album, underscoring their ongoing impact as cultural leaders and musical innovators. Produced by Syd Green, Crossroads weaves together folk, roots and Indigenous languages with refined lyrical storytelling, reflecting both personal evolution and the strength of their long creative partnership. It stands as their most accomplished work yet - a testament to their enduring place in Australia’s musical landscape.

Natalie is one of the most sought-after cellists playing traditional music today. Credited with putting cello on the map of contemporary Celtic music, she brings a wealth of world influences to her instrument, fashioning a tone and rhythmic sense that transcend any single tradition - all without losing the influence of classical technique or her American roots. She and her fiddling sister Brittany Haas (Hawktail, Punch Brothers, Crooked Still, the Dave Rawlings Machine) have released two albums and continue to tour together. Natalie and longtime collaborator Alasdair Fraser toured for over 26 years and released eight albums, charting a new course through the string music of Scotland. She also toured for three years in American virtuoso Mark O'Connor's Appalachia Waltz Trio. Natalie is in high demand as a studio musician and has been a guest artist on over 100 albums, including those of Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Irish greats Altan, Solas, and Liz Carroll, and Americana icon Dirk Powell. Through her skills as an educator, Natalie has inspired a whole new generation of young cellists in folk music at fiddle camps and music schools across the globe.

With a career spanning over two decades, Hanneke Cassel has helped redefine what it means to be a modern fiddler. A driving force in the ever-changing landscape of acoustic music, Hanneke blends originality and innovation with the spirit of Scottish traditional fiddle. Fusing musical roots from the Isle of Skye and Cape Breton Island with Americana stylings, Hanneke’s playing has been described by the Boston Globe as “exuberant and rhythmic, somehow wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness.” Beyond the strings of her fiddle, it is Hanneke’s hugely generous presence and passion that round out her magnetism as a performer on the world stage of fiddle music.

Current winner of solo Australian Folk Musician of the Year, Noriko is an ever-evolving creative force who continues to take her Japanese music to places few have ventured. She seeks out unique collaborations and creative practices that extend well beyond her music into acting and theatre, sound art and composing.

She’s an award-winning, virtuoso of the Japanese shamisen and traditional Japanese vocalist, who regularly performs internationally. A culturally diverse female musician and performer, Noriko strives to empower and encourage women by making art that inspires and connects, while also showcasing the beauty of difference.

From busking on the streets, to being watched by millions on national TV, Noriko’s performed solo at the Sydney Opera House and her work has also featured on radio, short films, and international theatre productions.

Three singular songwriting voices unite in a luminous collaboration featuring folk classical crossover string trio. Widely celebrated within Australia’s jazz and folk communities, Emily-Rose and Parvyn are known for fearless musical exploration and spellbinding live performance. They are joined by Ofri — a Sydney-based pianist and songwriter whose striking voice and deeply expressive compositions mark her as one of the country’s most compelling emerging artists.

Together, they weave rich textures of voice, piano, strings, and subtle electronics, moving fluidly through one another’s songs to explore landscapes shaped by nature, psychology, and shared human longing. The ensemble is joined by acclaimed string players Holly Downes (double bass/viola), Chris Stone (violin), both known from chamber folk groups The String Contingent and The Good Behaviours, and young prodigious talent Catie Alison (cello).

Curated by Emily-Rose following international touring, this project brings together artists who resist easy categorisation, creating music of cinematic depth, emotional resonance, and rare collaborative intensity.

Siblings from lutruwita/Tasmania, Homebru are known for their intricate compositions, fiery improvisation, driving rhythm and infectious spirit. A unique blend of contemporary celtic folk - punchy and vibrant, yet also refined and detailed. They are equally at home with a crowd of wild dancers as with an audience of observant folk enthusiasts. Whether you enjoy dancing, head bopping, toe tapping or becoming gently immersed to observe the finer details, the music of Homebru has something for everyone.

The String Contingent is an acoustic chamber-folk trio led by founding members Chris Stone (violin) and Holly Downes (double bass), now joined by Australian guitarist Felix Lalanne. Their work brings together composition, improvisation and chamber music, creating an intricate and expansive sound shaped by the distinct voices of each performer.

Since forming in 2009, the trio has released six albums of original music and toured extensively across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Scandinavia.

Following a period away from touring, Chris completed a PhD in string improvisation, Holly completed a Masters in Music Teaching, and together they became Co-Artistic Directors of the National Folk Festival. The group now returns with Lalanne as a core member, developing new work alongside earlier repertoire.

Their work explores what it means to create as Australian string players, drawing on place, landscape and lived experience, with performances balancing precision, openness and energy.

Ernest Aines is a multi-award-winning Australian singer-songwriter whose songs blend folk, indie and alternative influences with poetic lyricism, intricate guitar work and a voice that has been known to make rooms fall completely silent — in the best possible way.

A warm and captivating live performer, Ernest has toured across Australia, the UK, Ireland and the US, building a reputation for shows that are intimate, disarming and quietly unforgettable. His debut album Spiral Bound drew widespread praise for its emotional honesty, rich storytelling and genre-blurring sound.

Called “genuinely one of a kind” and “extremely engaging” by Sleeping Bag Studios, Ernest creates concerts that feel deeply personal, beautifully crafted, and quietly unforgettable.

Calabash is a dynamic ensemble of four exceptional West African musicians from Mali, Gambia and Ghana, bringing together centuries of musical tradition in a vibrant and deeply rhythmic performance. Blending the soaring melodies of the kora, the earthy pulse of the guitar, the shimmering tones of the balafon and the driving heartbeat of the calabash drum, the group creates music that is both ancient and contemporary. Each artist is a master of their craft, drawing on rich cultural lineages that have shaped West African music for generations.

From hypnotic grooves and intricate polyrhythms to soulful vocals and improvisation, Calabash invites audiences into an immersive musical journey filled with energy, connection and celebration.

Stringmania is an immersive residential camp for musicians who are passionate and curious about traditional and contemporary string music. Stringmania is for people who seek musical, cultural, and personal enrichment through the support of an open minded, vibrant and inclusive community, providing a forum to explore our identity as multicultural Australian musicians. Classes are self-selected, and divided by ear learning ability and confidence, rather than age or instrumental skill. The camp is built around four daily primary instrumental classes. All instruments are welcome, with a focus on fiddle, cello and double bass. If you are not a bowed strings player, you are welcome, but need to be self-sufficient enough on your instrument to ensure you progress in your learning.

Complementing these primary instrumental classes are electives in rhythm, improvisation, dance, song, thought-provoking panel discussions, skill swaps, master classes and more. A daily slow jam is offered, where the day’s music is revisited at a slower pace to help consolidate learning. Tutors will make themselves available as much as they can to support individual needs. In the evenings you will enjoy programmed and unprogrammed events such as all-night jams, storytelling, dances, concerts, relaxing with friends and maybe even sleeping. The camp culminates in a celebratory public concert where we all take to the stage to share what we’ve all created with the local community, our friends and family.

The Famili Choir is a new project led by Tongan-Australian artist Joel Havea, bringing together voice, story, and ancestry through contemporary arrangements of traditional Tongan songs and original material. Joel’s background spans Tonga, Australia, and over 15 years of touring and recording across Europe.

The project reimagines songs passed down through his family, including works written by his great uncle and grandfather (some nearly 100 years-old) from early Tongan choral tours, alongside new arrangements of songs from his own extensive back catalogue. Performed by a small vocal ensemble, Famili Choir focuses on close harmony, acoustic instrumentation, and storytelling rooted in migration, identity, and belonging.

This is the first live iteration of an evolving body of work that connects Pacific heritage with contemporary songwriting, offering an intimate, powerful experience that bridges generations, cultures, and musical worlds.

The River Folk Restrung project takes professional performing artists and arranges their music so they can perform with a string orchestra and a harp. Orchestrated by Mickey & Michelle, who combine their deep love of songwriting and careful orchestration to add luscious layers of colourful harmony to the Festival's already high calibre program. 

The orchestra is made up of string members from all over Australia, from professional to amateur string players. The project acknowledges the enormous amount of skill among folk fiddlers and harnesses those powers for a one off performance of extreme beauty. So come along for an extra special performance, featuring some incredible acts like you’ve never heard them before. Previous collaborations include: Scott Cook, Ngaiire, The Maes, Lucy Wise, Parvyn, The Crooked Fiddle Band, Pirritu and many more.

Award winning The Lost Clog are a ten-piece folk ensemble made up of the offspring of WW2 refugees. Featured on TV, festivals, feature films, and concerts around Australia and three tours of Lithuania.

They sing Lithuanian folk music passed through families. Songs celebrating harvest, the joy of beer, disappointment of marriage, geese, lazy cows, beautiful lakes, inconvenient streams, drunken sparrows and grandma’s pancakes. The Lost Clog infuse laugh out loud humour with centuries old harmonies, decades old fashion and months old facial hair.

“Comic relief and a highlight of the concert, The Lost Clog performed Lithuanian songs with humorous themes and great harmonies. Dressed in colourful Lithuanian folk costumes, their performances were further amplified with props and theatrical components, dancing and cheeky narratives. The audience laughed often and with gusto. This 10-piece vocal group from Melbourne was a delightful surprise” CBR City News

Saije is an award-winning, indie-folk duo whose soulful harmonies, dynamic guitar-lines and driving foot-drums breathe life into heartfelt stories. Their songwriting is crafted from the depths and through multitasking-techniques, the pair create an epic, full-bodied sound enriched by flavours from their worldwide travels.

After being awarded Folk Alliance Australia’s ‘Young Artist of the Year’, SAIJE has toured extensively throughout Australia, Canada, Europe and the UK, playing a plethora of sold-out performances and festival appearances, including at Woodford Folk Festival (AUS), Galway Folk Festival (IRE), Shambala Festival (UK) and Surfana Festival (NL). SAIJE have supported some of Australia’s most renowned singer songwriters such as Ziggy Alberts, Josh Pyke, Kim Churchill and Steph Strings, as well as Canadian folk band, The East Pointers. They continue to uplift both national and international audiences through their unifying performances and a warmth that fills small halls and overflows from large festival stages.

Australian singer/songwriter and cellist Alice Hurwood creates charming folk-pop that shimmers with emotional depth. She crafts songs that navigate love, longing, and self- discovery, inviting listeners into a world that feels both delicate and powerful. On stage, Alice is captivating, accompanying herself on cello while layering live vocal harmonies, subtle loops, and percussive playing to build immersive, dynamic arrangements in real time. Her performances move fluidly between hushed intimacy and rousing folk drive, creating a deeply present and engaging experience. Her debut album Can We Talk Sometime (2025) marked a major creative leap, earning a sold-out launch in Melbourne. Alice has performed solo at major festivals such as the National Folk Festival and TEDx, as well as Sydney Festival and WOMAD Aotearoa with the iconic art-rock ensemble Not Drowning, Waving. Since relocating to Berlin in late 2025, she has embedded herself in the European music community with performances at TEDxBerlin, Club der Polnischen Versager, Kindl Stuben, Sofar Sounds Berlin, and The Gallery of Things. Recognised early as a gifted songwriter, Alice was named APRA AMCOS Young Songwriter of the Year (2020) and selected for the APRA AMCOS 23% Mentorship Program (2025).

Corn Nut Creek are storytellers crafting moving songs that weave Appalachian traditions with a distinctive chamber-folk sound. Rich vocal harmonies, clawhammer banjo, and lilting fiddle underpin songs that honour sisterhood and deep connections to the natural world. In 2024, Corn Nut Creek received two nominations at the Australian Folk Music Awards. Their album Hearts in Bloom reached the Australian Metro AMRAP Top Ten Charts for two consecutive weeks and was featured in Country Queer and The Alternate Root, while also becoming a semi-finalist in the Unsigned Only Music Competition. They performed at Woodford Folk Festival for the first time in 2026 and are excited to be releasing new music later in the year.

A modern-day troubadour and storyteller, Felicity Dowd, is Australia’s most captivating emerging singer-songwriter.

2026 Golden Guitar Award Nominee, 2x Toyota Starmaker Grand Finalist, Youth Artist of the Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards (2023) and fresh off her 2025 AMERICANAFEST (USA) debut, Felicity is making waves throughout the Folk and Americana music scenes! She has become renowned for her award-winning songwriting, meaningful performances and incredible musicality.

Having wowed audiences from main stages at Australia’s most prestigious festivals (National Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival) to support slots with music royalty, Kasey Chambers, the Bushwackers, Neil Murray (Warumpi Band), Josh Cunningham (The Waifs), Felicity Urquhart, Ash Grunwald, Fanny Lumsden, Lyn Bowtell and Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea), Felicity is a must-see artist.