Description

Leek Arts Festival presents .....

Truly the most joyous noise I have ever heard and re-affirming my faith in the potential of the human race." Jon Bens
The UK's biggest folk band, The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, stage their legendary annual tour for the 27th time in 2025!
The band's touring line-up features a stage-challenging 50 members. Among them are 15 horns, four cellos, six percussionists, three electric guitarists, plus fiddles, flutes, clarinets, electric bass, banjos, acoustic guitars, and an accordion. They sing too.
Formed in 1997 at Birmingham?s prestigious Conservatoire by fiddle player and arranger Joe Broughton (The Urban Folk Quartet, The Albion Band, Joss Stone), the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble have established a reputation for creating energetic and powerful shows. Their increasingly popular live appearances - especially at such festivals as Cropredy, Towersey, Shambala and Kendal Calling - have left audiences ecstatic and even (at Towersey) moved to tears.
Still based at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the personal influences of each member shapes the set-list, as traditional English and Celtic reels slide into full-on rock grooves, funk, jazz, hip-hop, ska and reggae. Eastern European and Asian flourishes can also be heard, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the group.
This is very much 21st century folk.
This is ?Power Folk?. www.folkensemble.co.uk www.facebook.com/ConservatoireFolkEnsemble/
?This album is utterly mind-blowing.? Mick Tems - Folk Wales Online Magazine
?Varied and brilliant? one massive sound? Frank Hennessy, BBC Radio Wales
?There?s subtlety, poignancy, variety and more than a soupçon of talent. You?ll like this, like it lots I know you will.? Simon Jones, fRoots
?Painted is an absolutely superb, inimitable and totally unmissable album that should have a copy in each and every home.? Joe Knipe, Artree

doors 7pm starts 8pm seated show

Description

Foxlowe Arts Centre is a community run arts centre for the people of Leek and The Staffordshire Moorlands.

Leek’s arts centre is housed in the historic building, Foxlowe, at the top of Leek’s market place.

Foxlowe Arts Centre opened its doors in December 2011 and has already gained a strong following from the local community and is attracting attention from further afield as well. Funded by individuals’ pledges, donations and trading proceeds and with the majority of the staff volunteering, this is truly a community arts centre for the people of Leek and the Staffordshire Moorlands.

With a popular café, bar, gallery, live performance space for music, drama, comedy, talks and a cinema, the Foxlowe Arts Centre has rapidly established a reputation as the go to place in Leek.

Foxlowe arts centre has limited parking at the back of the building for permit holders and disabled users only. Some workshops will include a parking permit spaces are available. To access the car park follow parking signs on Stockwell Street signed ‘P Short Stay, Council Offices’ and turn left after the first parking bays – this is the entrance to Foxlowe arts centre car park for permit holders, disabled users and others with permission e.g. workshop attendees.

Market Place,

Leek,

Staffordshire,

England,

ST13 6AD.

01538 386112