THE ATKINSON RELEASE EXCITING PROGRAMME OF FOLK MUSIC

THE Atkinson, Southport's brand new state of the art multi-purpose cultural venue, has a diverse and exciting programme of Folk music lined up for the opening season. There is something for all Folk fans of all ages and tastes, ranging from traditional folk, folk-rock to electric-folk artists from both sides of the Atlantic.

Expect to see performances from world-class artists from the British, Irish and Canadian Folk scenes, such as Spiers and Boden, Kieran Goss, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, Fairport Convention, Cara Luft and Heidi Talbot.

Emma Lloyd, Performing Arts Programme, Marketing and Visitor Services Manager at The Atkinson said:- "Folk has always been a firm favourite in Southport, and there are no plans to change this for The Atkinson. Folk is so diverse that the genre appeals to all ages and crosses many musical boundaries. With this in mind, The Atkinson will welcome back Folkport in 2014, Southport's very own folk festival, as well as continuing to welcome a wide and eclectic mix of folk throughout the year."

2-time winners of the BBC Folk Award for Best Duo, Spiers and Boden are bringing their style of spontaneous, punky English folk to The Atkinson on 9 May, as part of their annual spring tour. Described by The Guardian as:- "the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene", loud, proud, and with just a few acoustic instruments, they create a multitude of textures upon which they present traditional stories and dance music which have taken them on to the main stages of major festivals.

Double platinum selling recording artist Kieran Goss makes The Atkinson his only North West gig of his whirlwind 'Live and Solo' tour on 17 May 2013. Hailed as 1 of Ireland's finest songwriters, the superstar of Irish song has a tremendous gift to craft songs of pure quality and the uncanny ability to connect to the audience in an unparalleled way; Kieran is an artist at the top of his game and 1 of Ireland's national treasures. This is a rare chance to see Kieran performing live and solo. Do not miss it!

Fresh from winning Best Duo at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and picking up a nomination for Best Original Song are Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman on 22 May. Hailed as 2 of the British folk scenes most accomplished performers, Roberts and Lakeman have recently rekindled their popular duo performances after a break to welcome the birth of their twin daughters in the naughties. The duo have graced stages the world over in a number of guises, however, the intimacy and strength of passion shown as a duo, combined with an eclectic repertoire ensures a rare treat for any listener.

Fairport Convention, the English folk-rock and electric-folk band are on 30 May 2013. Formed in 1967, they are arguably the originators of British folk-rock music and widely regarded as the most important group in this genre. Their seminal album Liege and Lief is considered to have launched the electric-folk and English folk-rock movement, which provided a distinctively English identity to rock music and helped awaken much wider interest in traditional music in general. The band organise Fairport Cropredy Convention, an annual, weekend long festival that, since 1979, has welcomed over 20,000 music lovers to the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire.

Crossing the Atlantic on 14 June 2013 is Juno Award winning folk-roots singer-songwriter Cara Luft, arguably 1 of Canada's finest live performers, her engaging down home style has won her adoring fans across the globe. Luft is that rare artist steeped in folk and traditional roots music almost from birth, stretching boundaries and fearlessly bending genres and styles.

Hailing from Co. Kildare, Ireland, is Folk superstar Heidi Talbot, who found fame in the USA as a member of the hugely successful Irish-American band Cherish the Ladies. Talbot will be performing her latest album Angels Without Wings on 22 June, which was released to rave reviews, notably Q Magazine, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent all gave it 4 stars. Subtlety is Talbot's magic ingredient, from her ethereal voice to the delicate re-working of traditional and contemporary material has earned Talbot a US Indie Acoustic Award and 2 BBC Folk Awards nominations and legions of loyal followers.

Incorporating 4 established venues - Southport Arts Centre, the Atkinson Art Gallery, Botanic Gardens Museum and Southport's Central Library, into 1 regional cultural centre, the Lord Street venue has undergone extensive development and will open in several different phases across the next 2 years. When fully open, the venue will comprise 2 performance spaces, a library, bakery, craft and design centre, Tourist Information Centre, art galleries, a museum, a shop and a cafe.

For more information and to book tickets visit:- theatkinson.co.uk or call box office on:- 01704 533333.