Sustaining Musical Heritage in a New Context 

For many artists arriving in the UK, continuing their musical practice can mean adapting to a new cultural and professional landscape. The Spotlight programme supported three artists whose work is rooted in distinct musical traditions, each shaped by personal history, cultural memory and migration. 

Guacamaya Latin Band draw on Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Cumbia and Venezuelan coastal traditions. Their music reflects intertwined histories of migration and resistance, bringing rhythmic, dance-driven forms into music with global influences.  

Hamsaz Ensemble, a collective of Iranian diaspora musicians, combine traditional instruments such as the setar, santur and daf with contemporary approaches. Their work connects Persian musical heritage with present-day questions of identity, storytelling and political expression. 

Hawo Kiin, a Somali vocalist with an established international following, creates music rooted in oral tradition and storytelling. Her performances carry themes of migration, resilience and social change, connecting personal experience with collective heritage. 

Through mentoring, recording sessions and live performances, each artist developed new ways of presenting their work within the UK music industry whilst staying rooted to the traditions that shape their practice. 

Together, their work highlights how musical heritage is not static, but continually evolving, carried across borders and reimagined in new cultural contexts.