About

A festival of immense heart, courage and invention. A programme that taps the ultra local and the global with equal respect. I love its sense of community, its sense of artistic inquisitiveness and dialogue between artists and audiences. Every year my ears and mind are blown open by what Counterflows brings to my doorstep – this, surely, is what experimental music is all about. Kate Molleson, writer and broadcaster.

 

Counterflows is an internationally acclaimed Glasgow-based contemporary music festival that celebrates challenging and thought provoking work in the context of what might be called experimental music; supporting marginal music practice within a wide array of different genres and approaches to music and sound.  Taking place annually, the festival features artists from Scotland, UK and around the world, and celebrates and explores culture on a local and international scale.

We aim to keep our activities as open, inclusive, accessible and fun as possible, confronting the often exclusionary and market-driven nature of the music industry. We look to build a non-hierarchal social space to engage with artists’ work, as well as explore their connections to culture, politics, community and activism..

After 13 years, we feel proud to continue working on the festival, and deeply appreciate the support our funders, our artists and our ever-growing audience has given us over this time.

Counterflows in 2022 started a new initiative called Music Space. Music Space offers support and access to young people between 16 – 25 who have encountered difficulties developing their own music talents. Music Space offers 2 bursaries a year and a series of Creative Sessions, workshops facilitated by professional artists. For more information: https://musicspace.uk/

If you have any questions about the festival please contact: counterflows@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.