Folk Unbound

Applications to our second #FolkUnboundTheGathering are OPEN! 🥳 Are you a folk musician looking to explore your music making and gain confidence playing in groups amongst like-minded people? Do you identify as a trans man, trans woman, non-binary, gender fluid, or cis-woman or other marginalised gender? Join us! ⛺ Folk Unbound: The Gathering folk music camp 📆 6-10th July 2026 📍 Castleton Rotary Centre, Derbyshire Click the link in our IG bio/FB comments to visit our shiny new website where you'll find all the info including: - Our ethos - Our inclusion policy - Our tiered pricing structure - The application form - FAQs A £50 deposit is required with all applications. More information about this on the application form. There are only 20 places available and once they're gone, they're gone, so get those applications forms rolling in! #TransMusician #FolkMusician #FolkMusic #QueerFolk

"I feel that I don’t need to worry about 'how' to contribute in sessions- I've learnt what different forms of contribution can look like." "It's just been so clear to me how beautiful music wasn't made only out of virtuosity but connection, basic skills of listening/giving/taking space and the personal spirit and character you bring to it." "Embrace mistakes, support from other musicians. I felt like every level of skills had its place and was embraced." Just some of the beautiful words fedback to us, and just some of the weird & wonderful moments captured by the brilliant Sophie @brightwingphotography . Are you going to come next year? 🧐 #FolkUnboundTheGathering #FolkUnbound #FolkMusicCamp #SummerCamp #FolkMusician #QueerFolk #WomenInFolk #WomenMusician #TransMusician #NonBinaryMusician #GenderFluidMusician #lgbtqmusicians #FolkIsAFeministIssue #ConfidenceCamp

"We've spent this day together" 🎶 What. A. Week!! 🥳 Our very first #FolkUnboundTheGathering was a monumental success. So much so we've booked the venue for next year! Put the 6-10th July in your diaries now if you want to come. More on that soon. But for now, here's a bunch of memories from last week's event. It was really hard to narrow it down. If you were there, what is your stand out memory from the week?! Put it in the comments 🥰 📸 Cover pic by the epically talented Sophie @brightwingphotography #FolkUnbound #FolkMusic #FolkCamp #MusicCamp #FolkMusician #TransJoy #TransPride #WomenMusician #TransMusician #NonBinaryMusician #TransLivesMatter #Derbyshire #MelBiggsMusic #LucyHuzzard #FrankieInsley #QueerFolk #QueerMusician

Introducing the FolkUnbound co-founders: Lucy Huzzard & Mel Biggs . Folk Unbound is the brain-baby of Lucy Huzzard and Mel Biggs, both box players and long time folkies on the English trad scene. Whilst working together on Mel’s Chatterbox podcast & guest tutor series on Patreon, they shared stories about their own battles with confidence and the patriarchy on the folk scene. After a mad phone call between the two of them, Lucy shared a humble idea to run a confidence-boosting weekend instrument course, and Mel took that idea, ran with it, and offered up the suggestion of a longer, immersive week-long summer camp: Folk Unbound was born! We are here to take positive action to nurture those who might not always feel welcome or confident in some of the usual sessions/festivals and folk spaces. We still have a few places remaining, and some lower price tier tickets available for our folk music summer camp 6-10th July in the beautiful Castleton, right in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District. This course is open to musicians who identify as transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, or a cis-woman, or any other marginalised gender. Check out our website for full details, FAQs and to fill in an application form: @lucyhuzzard @melbiggs_melodeonteacher 📸 @brightwingphotography #FolkMusic #FolkMusician #TransInclusive #Derbyshire #FolkUnboundTheGathering

Although last year’s inaugural #FolkUnboundTheGathering was a huge success, we’re not the type to rest on our laurels. We took the incredible feedback from our 2025 attendees on board and have made a number of thoughtful tweaks and improvements for this year’s event. One of those changes is the introduction of a dedicated Safeguarding & Wellbeing Officer. We’re delighted to share that the wonderful Roary — part of the 2025 cohort — has joined the leadership team for 2026, bringing both experience and genuine care to the role. Because Folk Unbound is rooted in trans inclusivity, confidence-building, and creating a supportive environment, we know many attendees may arrive carrying insecurities, vulnerabilities, or anxieties. We want everyone to feel safe, seen, supported, and able to fully enjoy the week. We honestly couldn’t imagine a better person for this role than Roary. Kind, compassionate, calm, and endlessly generous, they are a perfect fit for the team, and we’re so excited to have them on board! We truly believe this is a really positive step forward for our folk music summer camp, helping us create an environment where everyone can feel happy, supported, and safe throughout the week. Check out our website for our full range of safeguarding and wellbeing policies: 📸 @brightwingphotography

Who's been telling porky pies about us being sold out?! That's not in fact the case, and owing to some unexpected circumstances, we've had a few places open up so we in fact have... ...*4 places left* for some lucky musicians wishing to join us on this year's #FolkUnboundTheGathering 📅 6-10th July 2026 📍 Castleton, Derbyshire 🏕️ Folk Music Camp for trans, non-binary, & cis-women focusing on building confidence in social music settings. Full info and application form on our website! Check out the link in IG bio/FB comments. 📸 @brightwingphotography #DerbyshirePeakDistrict #FolkMusic #FolkMusician #TransFriendly

We have just 1 space remaining on this year's #FolkUnboundTheGathering folk music summer camp for trans-men, trans-women, non-binary folks, cis-women and other marginalised genders 🗓️6-10th July 📍 Castleton, Derbyshire Peak District If you've been thinking about applying but haven't gotten round to it yet, it's now or never! Will you be our 20th applicant?! Apply via our website . Link in IG bio/FB comments. 📸 @brightwingphotography #FolkMusic #Derbyshire #FolkMusician #TransInclusive

We can't wait to do it all again this July... #FolkUnboundTheGathering 2026 is filling up fast! If you are an instrumental musician who identifies as a trans man, a trans woman, a non-binary person, a cis-woman or as any other minority gender (sorry cis-men, this one's not for you, boo) then head over to our website for full details of our confidence boosting folk music summer camp in the Derbyshire Peak District where you can apply to be part of it! 🏕️ Folk Unbound: The Gathering folk music camp 🗓️ 6-10th July 2026 📍 Castleton, Derbyshire Peak District 📸 Many of these images are by the wonderful @brightwingphotography #TransFriendly #FolkMusic #FolkMusician #Derbyshire

✨How much is it to attend The Gathering?✨ We don't want finances to get in the way of you having the opportunity to attend #FolkUnboundTheGathering this summer! One thing we feel strongly about here at Folk Unbound is financial accessibility. We want to make our folk music camp for trans, non-binary, gender fluid and cis-women folks as financially accessible to as many people as possible. One way we've gone about this is to set a tiered pricing structure to give you the option of what you can afford. Our tiers explained: 🎟️ Low income - "I have a low income or would select a concession rate for an event due to my personal circumstances" 🎟️ Standard ticket - "I have access to a regular and stable income/savings or inheritance" 🎟️ Solidarity ticket - "I have the financial means to contribute towards making this event accessible for others" ✅ When you apply, select the ticket option that best suits you and your circumstances. No questions asked! There is even the option to tick a box to partially or fully sponsor a subsidised place if you are in the position to do this for someone else who might not be able to afford a place. Hurry! Places are limited, 3/5 low income tickets have been snapped up and almost half the places have already sold! Find the full information and the application form via our website (link in IG bio/FB comments). #FolkUnbound #FolkMusician #FolkMusicEducation #FolkThePatriarchy

And just like that, over a quarter of places to #FolkUnboundTheGathering 2026 have gone! 🥳 If you want to be in on our Gathering 2.0 this July, 6-10th, in the beautiful Castleton next door to Mam Tor in the Derbyshire Peak District, get yourself over to our website where you can read all the info about our folk music camp for marginalised gender instrumental musicians and APPLY! ⛺ Folk Unbound: The Gathering folk music camp 📆 6-10th July 2026 📍 Castleton Rotary Centre, Derbyshire Click the link in our IG bio/FB comments to visit our shiny new website where you'll find all the info including: - Our ethos - Our inclusion policy - Our tiered pricing structure - The application form - FAQs A £50 deposit is required with all applications. More information about this on our website. #TransMusician #FolkMusician #FolkMusic #queerfolk

WE'RE BACK! And hello to all the new followers that we've gained in our winter absence! 👋 We've been beavering away in the background working on plans for our second folk music camp for trans, non-binary and cis-women #FolkUnboundTheGathering 2026, an exciting appearance @queerfolkuk Folk Festival (more on that soon), and also... Our brand new website! We're over the moon to announce that... 🎉 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! 🎉 Head to folkunbound.co.uk to find out more. Live link in IG bio/FB comments. 📸 @brightwingphotography #FolkMusic #TransInclusion #QueerFolk #FolkMusicEducation

A month ago today, our #FolkUnboundTheGathering baby was born into the world! We're never going to forget the fun we had (especially the radiator orchestra... Swipe for evidence!) Beautiful photos by Sophie @brightwingphotography which we're forever grateful for 🫶 #FolkUnbound #QueerFolk #FolkMusicCamp #FolkMusicians #SummerCamp #FolkMusic #FolkMusicEducation #TransLivesMatter #TransMusicians #LQBTQIAMusicians