David Weir : Early Career Promoter Fund
Concise Project Description : Organise, promote and book artists for the third edition of Northgate Folk Festival, an outdoor multi-stage, small-scale event in Chester.
Biography : David Weir (Choir of Outsiders) (North West) – Organise the third edition of Northgate Folk Festival, an experimental folk all-dayer in Chester, championing exploratory artists forging new, unrestricted paths in traditional music. David Weir is a freelance promoter based in the North West and works as a Marketing & Communications Officer with Sound Roots, a registered charity dedicated to supporting the independent music sector and fostering its growth through events such as the Manchester Folk Festival and English Folk Expo. In 2022, he shifted his focus from programming predominantly indie and alternative events to establishing Choir of Outsiders, a North West-based promotion company specialising in experimental and contemporary folk. Since its inception, Choir of Outsiders has worked with trailblazing artists such as Stick in the Wheel, Brìghde Chaimbeul, The Gentle Good, Goblin Band, Frankie Archer and Shovel Dance Collective, and has been featured in The Guardian, Tradfolk, KLOF and The Quietus. In 2023, he launched the Northgate Folk Festival. Nestled within Chester’s ancient Roman walls, the all-dayer celebrates the wyrd and wonderful traditional talent of the British Isles and beyond.
The PRS Foundation’s Early Career Promoter Fund will support the continuation and expansion of the festival, allowing Choir of Outsiders to bring boundary-pushing, diverse artists from the burgeoning experimental folk scene to the North West. The event aims to welcome all comers, without barrier or judgment, demonstrating how traditional music can be inclusive, progressive and a powerful vehicle for experimentation and activism. Northgate Folk Festival 2025 will take place at the independent grassroots venue Alexander’s Live on Saturday 23rd August.
Choir Of Outsiders Socials :