A.Xodus Rhythms Festival 2026
The A.Xodus Rhythms Festival 2025 is a free grassroots music festival delivered by A.Xodus C.I.C., in partnership with Nightspot Cinema, Ka Boukie / The Boukie Show, and Andy Baybutt, taking place in Walthamstow, London. The festival presents live grassroots music performances, artist development opportunities, audience engagement, and a film screening, reaching an estimated 1,000+ people.
The festival’s primary focus is grassroots live music, showcasing emerging and independent artists performing across African and Caribbean-rooted genres, including Afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso, hip-hop, Rap, Spoken Word, reggaeton, and traditional rhythms performed by people from all backgrounds regardless of race. Artists will gain professional development, testing new material in front of live audiences, building fanbases, and connecting with promoters, media platforms, and other sector professionals.
The festival responds to the pressures on the grassroots music sector: venue closures, rising costs, and reduced booking opportunities have limited pathways into sustainable music careers, especially for African and Caribbean artists.
The festival provides:
Ka Boukie / The Boukie Show curate artists, host live sessions, and provide media exposure to strengthen progression routes.
Nightspot Cinema will host an outdoor screening of Art of Rap, presented in partnership with co-director Andy Baybutt. The documentary explores the craft, culture, and industry of hip-hop, featuring interviews with influential rap artists and examining how grassroots artists build skills, audiences, and careers. This provides both performers and audiences with insight into real-world artist development and music industry progression, directly supporting the SGM mission.
Additional activities include:
The festival operates as a grassroots music hub, bringing together artists, promoters, technicians, media platforms, and audiences in an accessible, professional setting. It supports the sustainability of the grassroots music sector and strengthens talent pipelines.
The project aligns with Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy:
Working with Sir George Monoux college to create direct pathways for grassroots projects.
Working with Bimm Chelsea to create performance and grass roots musical project pathways.
The festival’s primary focus is grassroots live music, showcasing emerging and independent artists performing across African and Caribbean-rooted genres, including Afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso, hip-hop, Rap, Spoken Word, reggaeton, and traditional rhythms performed by people from all backgrounds regardless of race. Artists will gain professional development, testing new material in front of live audiences, building fanbases, and connecting with promoters, media platforms, and other sector professionals.
The festival responds to the pressures on the grassroots music sector: venue closures, rising costs, and reduced booking opportunities have limited pathways into sustainable music careers, especially for African and Caribbean artists.
The festival provides:
- Paid live performance opportunities for grassroots artists
- High-quality technical production, supporting professional-standard performances
- Audience development, introducing new and diverse audiences to emerging talent
- Progression pathways, connecting artists to promoters, media platforms, and mentors
Ka Boukie / The Boukie Show curate artists, host live sessions, and provide media exposure to strengthen progression routes.
Nightspot Cinema will host an outdoor screening of Art of Rap, presented in partnership with co-director Andy Baybutt. The documentary explores the craft, culture, and industry of hip-hop, featuring interviews with influential rap artists and examining how grassroots artists build skills, audiences, and careers. This provides both performers and audiences with insight into real-world artist development and music industry progression, directly supporting the SGM mission.
Additional activities include:
- DJ sets and spoken word integrated into the music programme
- Artist-led rhythm and performance workshops
- Community and trader stalls supporting the local cultural economy
The festival operates as a grassroots music hub, bringing together artists, promoters, technicians, media platforms, and audiences in an accessible, professional setting. It supports the sustainability of the grassroots music sector and strengthens talent pipelines.
The project aligns with Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy:
- Creative People: enabling artists to develop skills, confidence, and professional experience
- Cultural Communities: strengthening local music scenes and community connection
- A Creative and Cultural Country: sustaining early-stage careers and grassroots music infrastructure
Working with Sir George Monoux college to create direct pathways for grassroots projects.
Working with Bimm Chelsea to create performance and grass roots musical project pathways.