CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SHORTLIST FOR CHRISTIAN RAPHAEL PRIZE FOR EMERGING ARTISTS
With this year’s event fast approaching the Cambridge Folk Festival is excited to announce the shortlist for the Christian Raphael Prize for Emerging Artists. Six outstanding up and coming musicians have been chosen from a highly competitive field, all of whom will perform at the Festival for a winner to be chosen.
The shortlist is:
Amelia Coburn – Hailed as “A great voice with great tunes” by Paul Weller in Mojo Magazine, Coburn draws inspiration from gothic literature and the shadowy allure of film noir. Her honest, occasionally hilarious and quintessentially north-eastern persona has seen her build a cult following and garner widespread praise from national UK media.
Amelia Coburn Credit Michael Sreenan
Maddie Morris – Winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Morris has been described by Jim Moray as “leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters.” Their work explores personal narratives and political storytelling, blending English folk traditions with their lived experience as a trans, autistic person.
Maddie Morris
Ollie Cook & The Hogwash – An Alternative Folk quintet from Birmingham, Cook ended a spate of solo work by forming The Hogwash with previous band members – Eddie Guthrie, Jack Brannon, Jaimie Jagger & Elliot Smith. What emerged was a new and fresh dynamic for Cook and the band, weaving through checked shirts and thick tweed.
Ollie Cook & The Hogwash
Katie Spencer – Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands, Spencer’s landscape of open skies and widening rivers flows through her assured guitar style and songwriting. Her lyrically mature, jazz and folk influenced songs, pristine voice and expert guitar picking have drawn much critical acclaim, including from MOJO magazine: “Fresh as a sweet Sunday morning”.
Katie Spencer
Tom Jenkins – A shepherd from the South Wales valleys, Jenkins has woven the post-industrial landscape and the stories of working-class communities into traditionally crafted songs. Growing critical acclaim and tours with artists from Bastille to Megan Moroney and Frank Turner, and an invitation to perform at Willie Nelson’s ranch, are bringing this unique artist to much deserved wider attention.
Tom Jenkins
Christina Alden & Alex Patterson – Multi-instrumentalists and songwriters from Norwich, Alden and Patterson’s music is rich with intertwining harmony, sensitive, accomplished musicianship and a creative song-writing style that is delicate, moving and deeply inspired by the natural world around them. Bright Young Folk called them ‘A milestone for contemporary folk songwriting’.
Christina Alden & Alex Patterson
The Christian Raphael Prize for Emerging Artists was established by Cambridge Folk Festival, Christian Raphael and his family in 2018. This prestigious prize provides the opportunity for an up-and-coming folk act to progress to the next level and includes a monthly grant for 12 months, Richard Wootton’s radio & TV promotion for one year and an opportunity to play at the following year’s Cambridge Folk Festival.
The Prize is funded by inspirational figure and keen supporter of Cambridge Folk Festival’s commitment to emerging young artists, Christian Raphael MBE. A 40-year-old man with severe and multiple learning disabilities who communicates non-verbally, Christian has been attending the Cambridge Folk Festival for many years.
Previous winners include: Katherine Priddy, Angeline Morrison, Nick Hart, Frankie Archer and The Deep Blue.
Now sold out, the Cambridge Folk Festival weekend at Cherry Hinton Hall, August 1-2 will be the centrepiece of 2026’s activities. A more intimate event, returning to the Festival’s roots, the weekend will feature two full days of live music and activities, with optional three-night camping available.
A second to none line-up, boasting three international headliners and the best in contemporary roots music, will perform across two main stages, a street performance area showcasing buskers and roving acts, and a dedicated Club Corner, programmed in partnership with local folk clubs.
In an exciting addition this year, the Festival umbrella reaches wider than ever. Organisers will work with local venues, promoters and folk clubs to schedule a variety of events throughout the year and in the run up to the Cherry Hinton Hall weekend in multiple venues across the city. These will include concerts at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July and The Portland Arms on 29th July. Cambridgeshire Music will host the Summer School again in 2026, 27-30 July, with a finale performance on Saturday 1 August during the Cherry Hinton Hall weekend
FULL LINE-UP:
Frank Turner, Suzanne Vega, Richard Thompson with Zara Phillips
This Is The Kit – Seth Lakeman – Skinny Lister – Brògeal
The Songs of Joni Mitchell ft. Jesca Hoop, Lail Arad & More
Ustad Noor Bakhsh – Nick Harper – RuMac
Mark Radcliffe & David Boardman – Nick Cope
Amelia Coburn – Amaidi – Christina Alden & Alex Patterson
Frog on a Bike with Mary Panton – George Boomsma
Katacombs – Katie Spencer – Maddie Morris – Man the Lifeboats
Ollie Cook & The Hogwash – The Deep Blue – The Thorn – Tom Jenkins
Cambridgeshire Summer School
PLUS: Comedians Matt Bragg, Felicity Ward and Mark Watson
For more information please visit:: Folk Festival
X (previously Twitter): @CamFolkFest
Facebook: @cambridgefolkfest
Instagram: @cambridgefolkfest
