We're putting together a new festival in Bedale, North Yorkshire (BAMfest - Bedale Acoustic Music Festival 1st May - 2nd June 2013, watch this space!)and will have a whole "thread" running throughout the festival aimed at under 21s and getting them to play "acoustic" music.

This will include concerts by younger artists (who will also feature on the main bill), an acoustic "Battle of the Bands", workshops and open mics. This will all be hosted at "Culture Shack" which is an excellent facility in the grounds of Bedale High School. Their management are fully behind it.

Though the festival is not completely "folk" (or Folk) there will be plenty of traditional and other folk music going on (Acoustic Blues, Bluegrass, Trad Jazz, American Old Time as well as Celtic and English Folk)..... we won't get too precious about what the youngsters play though, as long as it is "real" music on "real acoustic" instruments. Acoustic singer/ songwriter stuff will also be encouraged)

Hopefully some of them will pick up on the folkier music on offer and develop an interest.

It'll be interesting to see if it works.