Artwork by Joanna Bain

The first event in February 2018 focused on the experiences of eight female fronted acts who are making waves in the music industry. Women are under-represented at all levels in music, and Selfmade wanted to use their first event as a platform to hear from women who have pushed beyond this barrier. Selfmade know their stories and experiences will be valuable to people of all genders. The evening was a mix of artwork, acoustic performance, discussion and zines showcasing an intersection of music from Irish artists and celebrating the work behind the scenes. The event feature pieces from contributing illustrators, as well as a panel discussion chaired by vocalist, Jess Kavanagh (BARQ).

SelfMade is organised independently by artist and music enthusiast, Joanna Bain, and Julie Hawk (HAWK / Veta Records) in collaboration with a collective of Irish musicians.

I was delighted to be asked to play at the IMRO seminar for Festival and Touring during Trad Fest where we got to listen to and meet festival and musical directors from Merlefest, Milwaukee irish Festival, Celtic Colours Festival and Philadelphia Folk Festival!