It’s with a heavy heart that we announce, after over 23 years with the organisation, David Agnew will be leaving The Met in January 2025 for the role of Chief Executive at Sound Roots.
Working initially as Marketing Manager, then Executive Director, and then as Artistic Director, David has been integral in shaping the internationally renowned programme at The Met, and was the driving force behind numerous festivals including the Head for the Hills Festival, and has continually driven artistic excellence and artist development.
We asked David some questions about his time at The Met:
Where are you going? Can you tell us a bit about your new organisation?
I have been working for Sounds Roots part time as Artistic Director since its inception, where we founded the Homegrown Festival in Bury, followed by Manchester Folk Festival in 2018 to run parallel with the English Folk Expo. I’m delighted to be joining Sound Roots full time as their new Chief Executive, succeeding Tom Besford.
Sound Roots helps the independent music sector to thrive and grow, with a specialism in the folk, roots and acoustic music genres. As a leading organisation for developing career pathways into the folk, roots and acoustic music industries, they build audiences, advise on policy, support talent from diverse backgrounds and create pathways to a more inclusive workforce.
Our annual music showcase, English Folk Expo, is the country’s largest folk music conference, connecting 200 industry specialists from over 20 countries and generating £3m spend on artist bookings per event.
Manchester Folk Festival is a global music event that draws 3,000 attendees and generates £1.3 million in visitor spending. Beyond the festival, we present folk music concerts across Greater Manchester throughout the year.
Their Artist Mentoring Pathway and online learning platforms have helped hundreds build sustainable careers in music. Additionally, we developed and commission the UK’s Official Folk Albums Chart, published monthly.
Can you name a couple of highlights from your 23 years with The Met?
I started at The Met in 2001 as Marketing Manager before being appointed Executive Director in 2005. During that period we began exploring the idea of taking work outside of the venue, which has become a really important artistic output for us. The Met had always supported specialist and niche music with festivals including Cajun, Zydeco and Blues which grew into Ramsbottom R&B Festival. We also had many great years with Big Whistle Festival attracting international industry, artists and audiences.
2011 was a huge year for The Met. We delivered our first ever Ramsbottom Festival and opened the Recording Studio, which was a huge achievement for the organisation. It was around this time that our ongoing programme of events began taking its toll on the venue, and long-term work on capital development began for The Met. This work came to fruition in 2016 with a £4.6 million investment for a much-needed refurbishment.
In 2014 I became Artistic Director and Victoria Robinson was appointed Chief Executive at The Met which allowed me to focus further on artistic development which therefore allowed the organisation to grow across other areas such as fundraising, outreach and engagement and touring programme.
In my time as Artistic Director we’ve delivered incredible experiences for audiences in the venue, in Ramsbottom and Burrs, in Bury Town Centre and Radcliffe and, particularly when challenged during lockdown, online – most memorably with our stream of Head for the Hills recorded on a very wintry Holcombe Hill in December.
What can you see in The Met’s future?
The Met is in a really good place in terms of responding to and listening to its communities. What I hope and trust to see is its appetite to keep innovating and doing things that otherwise might not happen. The Met excels when it is taking risks and being bold.
What makes The Met special?
I think what I have enjoyed experiencing at The Met is that it is different things to different people. Audiences that travel all over the North West, artists from all over the world, brilliant programme of workshops that individuals and groups really value as their opportunity to experience the arts and improve the quality of their lives. The Met’s reputations wherever I go there is always recognition of its quality and ambition.
We wish David all the luck in the world in his new role and he will be sorely missed! Our current Programme team will be expanding their roles and picking up the great work David has accomplished over the years.