ORGANISERS of Sidmouth FolkWeek have already confirmed a number of artists who will be performing at next year s festival The eclectic mix of great names includes The Spooky Men s Chorale from Australia, Riccardo Tesi with Banditaliana, Edward II reformed

ORGANISERS of Sidmouth FolkWeek have already confirmed a number of artists who will be performing at next year's festival

The eclectic mix of great names includes The Spooky Men's Chorale from Australia, Riccardo Tesi with Banditaliana, Edward II reformed for one year only and Oysterband and the Oyster Ceilidh Band.

Also returning for next year's new look festival are Peatbog Faeries, Whapweasel, Lau, Glorystrokes, Waterson Carthy, Jim Moray and Spiers & Boden.

New to the line-up are French Canadian trio Genticorum, The Dhol Foundation, Hotel Palindrone, Australian songwriter Eric Bogle, and The London Bulgarian Choir.

Joan Crump, the new artistic director, is recruiting a team of advisors to help with specialist aspects of the Festival.

These include John Howson of East Anglian Traditional Music Trust and Veteran Records, who is helping to programme a high quality line-up of traditional music and song and Andrew Swaine who will be ensuring Sidmouth's reputation for including the widest range of social dance is enhanced.

Great Western's Mike Boston and Chris Cook will continue to look after the ceilidhs and dance displays respectively.

After the success of the organisers partnership with Stage Electrics, which brought tiered seating in the Ham marquee and better Bulverton marquee site facilities, other improvements are planned for the future.

In particular, the size of the marquee in Blackmore Gardenes will be increased due to its popularity.

As previously reported in the Herald, the organisers have been involved in a major fund raising initiative and have enlisted support from several businesses and organisations in the town.

They have assured festival revellers that they can book their tickets with "confidence" when they go on sale at the beginning of January.

More artists are listed on the website, which will be added to regularly, at www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk.

Sidmouth FolkWeek 2009 takes place between July 31 and August 7.