Routes to Roots, an artist-led organisation focused on international collaboration, announces Rumbo North Isles, a new festival bringing musicians from Orkney and Shetland together with artists from Argentina for a series of live performances and creative exchanges this August.
The project builds on the organisation’s first festival, Rumbo Oaxaca, which took place in Mexico earlier in 2026 and brought together musicians from different global backgrounds to collaborate and perform. With Rumbo North Isles, Routes to Roots continues that work in a new setting, connecting island communities in the north of Scotland with artists from Latin America – led by Founder and Artistic Director Catriona Price, Creative Director Joni Strugo, and Musical Director Juan Grabina.
Two headline events form the centre of the programme. The first takes place on Saturday 1 August at Mareel in Lerwick, followed by a second on Sunday 9 August at the Marquee at Picky in Kirkwall. Each event brings together artists from the Northern Isles and Argentina, with performances shaped around shared sets as well as individual appearances.
Argentinian duo Lohdóh explore songcraft through a contemporary urban aeshetic, blending rich vocal textures, electronic influences and poetic storytelling. Fellow Argentinian group El Guapo draw on Latin American musical traditions alongside rock, funk and jazz to create an expansive, genre-crossing sound.
They are joined by a range of artists rooted in the musical life of Orkney, Shetland and Scotland more widely. Kris Drever, known for his distinctive voice and guitar work, is one of the leading figures in contemporary Scottish folk. Orcadian fiddler, singer and composer Catriona Price is known for her work with Fara and Twelfth Day, blending contemporary influences with traditional styles in a fresh, fiddle-led, full band sound.
The Shetland event also features Amy Laurenson and Norman Wilmore, who bring together piano and saxophone in a vibrant partnership that draws on folk, jazz and contemporary musical traditions, and Skelpit, an exciting new Shetland band celebrating the islands’ rich traditional folk heritage through fresh arrangements, dynamic musicianship and infectious energy.
The Orkney programme includes The Chair, long established as one of the islands’ most well-known live acts with their distinctive rhythmic style, and Auskerry, one of Orkney’s most exciting emerging folk bands, bringing together five exceptional young musicians to create a fresh, energetic sound rooted in the rich traditions of the islands.
Across the festival, artists will also work together in mixed line-ups, creating opportunities to explore connections between their different musical backgrounds in front of live audiences.
Catriona Price, Founder and Artistic Director of Routes to Roots said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching a Routes to Roots festival in Orkney and Shetland. Rumbo North Isles will be a celebration of Latin and local collaboration, and we can’t wait to experience the joy, colour and creative energy that will emerge when our fantastic line-up comes together.
Routes to Roots is an initiative I’ve been developing for many years, inspired by a desire to connect and collaborate with musicians from folk traditions around the world. 2026 – our first official year as an organisation – is shaping up to be a huge one. We presented our first ever festival, Rumbo Oaxaca, in Mexico earlier this year, curated a Routes to Roots showcase at Celtic Connections in January, and will present a night of intercultural collaboration at the Edinburgh International Festival later this summer. Rumbo North Isles is an exciting new chapter in our journey.
As someone whose music is rooted in my Orcadian upbringing, bringing the project home to the islands feels particularly special. After performing across Orkney and Shetland with my Routes to Roots colleagues Joni and Juan over the past two summers, it felt like a natural next step to create a Scottish edition of the festival in the North Isles. We hope Rumbo North Isles will not only create unforgettable performances this summer, but also lay the foundations for lasting artistic relationships, future international exchange, and new opportunities for artists and audiences alike.”
Joni Strugo, Creative Director of Routes to Roots said: “We’re thrilled with the line-up we’ve brought together for the first edition of Rumbo North Isles. It’s a real privilege to be welcoming Lohdóh – the incredible Argentine musicians Noelia Recalde and Jonatan Szer – to Scotland for the very first time. Alongside them, we have some of the finest musical exports from the North Isles, including Kris Drever, The Chair, Amy Laurenson & Norman Wilmore, and exciting emerging acts such as Auskerry and Skelpit, alongside the Routes to Roots team Catriona Price and my band from Argentina, El Guapo.
I’m so happy to be returning to Scotland. Since beginning to work with Catriona, I’ve spent a lot of time here, and it has become a very special place for both me and my El Guapo partner Juan. The North Isles in particular have a unique creative spirit and sense of community that we’ve fallen in love with.
It’s a pleasure to share our Latin American-rooted original music with audiences here, and even more exciting to bring artists together through Routes to Roots. We believe that when people from different cultures make music together, something truly special happens, and Rumbo North Isles is all about creating those moments of connection.”
Routes to Roots was founded by musicians with a focus on creating projects that prioritise exchange, collaboration and long-term relationships between artists. Alongside Rumbo Oaxaca, the organisation has previously worked with partners including Celtic Connections and Edinburgh International Festival.
Rumbo North Isles marks the next stage in that work, with a focus on Scotland’s island communities and their place within a wider international network of artists and traditions. Alongside the two main events, Rumbo North Isles includes workshops and community activity across Orkney and Shetland, giving audiences and participants opportunities to engage directly with the visiting artists. By placing different musical traditions side by side, the festival highlights how collaboration can create common ground between communities that might not otherwise meet.
Tickets for Rumbo North Isles are on sale now at https://routestorootsmusic.org