# Grand Northern Ukulele Festival

The Grand Northern Ukulele Festival (GNUF) is a multi-award-winning UK-based ukulele festival that takes place every year. It was established in 2013 and has been the recipient of multiple awards including the "Queen's Award for Voluntary Service". as well as the "Epic Award for England (Now the Creative Lives Awards".. It was also given the "Best Ukulele Festival award from UKE Magazine".

## Festival organisation

GNUF is a volunteer-run festival that is also not-for-profit. It is described as: an inclusive, inspiring weekend of arts and music and as a one-of-a-kind event featuring ukuleles and so much more, where there is truly something for everyone
GNUF was built on three key principles: making things, making connections and sharing knowledge. As described on their webpage, the team behind it continue to believe in those ideas and keep expanding opportunities on offer to include features and activities for an ever wider range of ages and communities. A stated goal of the festival team is to work closely with partners to try to ensure there truly is something for everyone.
In 2014, George Hinchliffe of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain described, the festival as "truly amazing".
The festival works with local businesses who bring their wares and skills to the festival. The festival team also works with a wide range of ukulele players and festivals around the world to develop and grow their event. In the past, they have worked with ukulele brands, Ohana, Kala, KoAloha and Kanilea and have advised organisers of events in the UK and elsewhere.
TeamGNUF and the festival as a whole also promote tours and events outside the festival.

## Festival dates and headliners

| Festival | Date | Notable Performers |
| 10th | June 2023 | U3 featuring Cynthia Lin, PPNOU, Dead Mans Uke, Hedge Inspectors, Phil Doleman, Washboard Resonators, Biskee Brisht, Peter Luongo, Dublin Ukulele Collective, |
| 9th | June 2022 | Taimane, Jake Shimabukuro, Andy Eastwood, Tricity Vogue All Girl Swing Band, Dublin Ukulele Collective, PPNOU |
| 8th | June 2020 | An Online Sideshow - Covid restrictions meant that we had to move online so we built an international collaborative performance https://northernuke.com/gnuf-2020-an-online-sideshow/ |
| 7th | May 2019 | Jake Shimabukuro, Craig Chee, Sarah Maisel, Heidi Swedberg, Daniel Ward, |
| 6th | May 2018 | Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer, Andy Eastwood performing an original composition with the Didsbury String Quartet, Andrew Molina, Hot Potato Syncopators, Peter Luongo |
| 5th | May 2017 | Victoria Vox, Andy Eastwood, Elof & Wamberg, Amelia Coburn, Eat-my-uke |
| 4th | May 2016 | Danielle Anderson (aka Danielle Ate the Sandwich), Hope & Social, The Quiet American, Samantha Muir, FU*K (Fagersta Ukulele Klub), Biscuithead and the Biscuit Badgers |
| 3rd | June 2015 | The Quiet American, Sarah Maisel & Craig Chee, Ben Rouse, |
| 2nd | October 2014 | Andy Eastwood, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Del Rey, Zoë Bestel |
| 1st | September 2013 | Manitoba Hal, Ukulele Uff & Lonesome Dave, Yan Yalego, Phil Doleman |

## Festival team

The festival producer and director is Professor of Creative Media, Mary Agnes Krell. She has worked in the UK and the US in performance, media and higher education for decades. Though from the US, she is based in the UK and runs the festival in her spare time. To learn more about Mary Agnes Krell, see the interview with her on Hebden Bridge's community site: HebWeb Interview with Mary.
Robert Collins, a ukulele luthier based in North Tyneside is the co-director, and a founding member of the festival team. His responsibilities include the development of "making" workshops.
Robin Evans joined the festival team in 2017 and has acted in as artist liaison and in a festival outreach role. Robin has liaised with artists and other ukulele festivals and events, to support communication and enable collaborations.
Simon Taylor, from Farnborough, Hampshire also joined in 2017, a proponent of ukulele music via his Cool Cat Ukes website and activities, competitions brought to the GNUF event.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Result |
| 2019 | Duke of York Community Initiative Award | Award Recipient |
| 2018 | Epic Award for England from Voluntary Arts | Won |
| 2017 | The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service | Won |
| 2017 | UKE Magazine BEST UKULELE FESTIVAL | Won |