What is Compass Festival?
Compass Festival is Folkestone’s alternative, independent music festival, rooted in DIY ethos, activist spirit, and community passion. Founded and produced by Compass Music, now a registered Community Interest Company (CIC) as of June 2025, we exist not just as a not-for-profit, but as a mission-driven organisation dedicated to championing emerging, unsigned artists from Kent, Sussex, and the South Coast.
Held in the vibrant seaside town of Folkestone, the festival brings together 35+ boundary-pushing artists across indie, alt pop, folk, post-punk, indie rock, live electronic, singer-songwriters and more. With two packed showcase days (17–18 October), Compass is more than just gigs; it’s about building bridges between artists, audiences, and the town itself.
Born from personal experience and love for live music, Compass is shaped by founder Geraldine Zanaska’s lifelong passion — from going to underground gigs in Paris as a teenager to attending 3–5 live shows a week pre-pandemic — and a frustration with a music world dominated by major labels and streaming algorithms. Moving to Folkestone, Geraldine saw the town’s untapped potential and its wildly supportive crowds, and began creating spaces like Riot Gulll and Nu Wave to showcase women, gender-diverse, and new and upcoming artists from the region. Compass Festival builds on this: offering a platform for independent music, fostering collaboration, and becoming a cultural meeting point where audiences come open to discovery.
The CIC is run by a dedicated local team of professionals from the creative industries, volunteering their skills and time:
- Geraldine Zanaska — Festival & C.I.C Director, Producer and Programmer
- Hannah Roberts — C.I.C Director, Branding, Graphic Design and Marketing Lead
- Leo Winslow — C.I.C Director, Production Lead
- Louise Peacock — C.I.C Director
- Ollie Crook — Website Development
- Cecily Snowball — PR and Partnerships
- Yumna Kumran — Marketing
- Eliana Sanchez-Magner — Social Media
- 15+ volunteers helping run the event
As an organisation, Compass Music is a proud member of the Association of Independent Promoters, and a signatory of both the Keychange pledge (committing to a gender-balanced lineup) and the Music Declares Emergency Pledge (working towards sustainability).
We believe in the power of music to promote the cultural change needed to create a better future.
Our Mission + Vision
At Compass Festival, we believe independent music is more than entertainment; it’s a force for community, connection, and change. Our mission is to amplify the voices of grassroots artists, spotlight alternative and underrepresented talent, and create inclusive, affordable, and joyful spaces where live music thrives.
We envision a music ecosystem where human curation matters again — where people come for the experience, not the algorithm; where independent voices are heard alongside one another; and where Folkestone becomes a proud catalyst for Kent and the South Coast’s diverse and exciting sound. Our values are grounded in fairness, inclusivity, gender balance, and an unshakeable love for the DIY and grassroots scene.
Why Folkestone?
Folkestone is a small seaside fishing town with a big creative heart. It was named the UK’s best place to visit in 2025 by Time Out, voted best place to live in the South East by the Sunday Times in 2024, and recognized by Lonely Planet as one of the best regions to visit in 2022 as part of Kent’s Heritage Coast.
It’s a place where art has sparked regeneration, most notably through the Folkestone Triennial — the UK’s largest display of public contemporary art, running this year from 19 July and with its closing weekend coinciding with Compass Festival!
With its independent spirit, curious audiences, and quick links to London, Folkestone is the perfect home for a festival dedicated to discovery, human connection, and grassroots culture.
About Compass Music C.I.C
Compass Music C.I.C. is a grassroots festival and music development organisation based in Folkestone, Kent, on the UK South Coast. We champion independent music communities through bold programming, DIY spirit, and long-term artist support.
We produce, curate and promote live events, run community-led music projects, and support early-career musicians and aspiring industry professionals in the South Coast and South East while fostering and championing collaboration across the region.
From intimate gigs to large multi-venue festivals, our mission is to build a fairer, more vibrant music ecosystem rooted in place, purpose and equity.
🎯 Vision: A thriving, inclusive grassroots music scene in Kent and along the coast — one with a national reputation on par with Brighton, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.
🌱 Mission: To empower local musicians and behind-the-scenes creatives to develop sustainable careers, lifting the entire regional scene and putting Kent’s music communities on the map.
We work to bring cultural and musical diversity to audiences in Folkestone, Dover and beyond — areas often bypassed by the modern touring circuit — and to inspire the next generation of musicians, producers, promoters, engineers and label founders.
Current Projects
- Compass Music Festival – multi-venue, multi-day celebration of independent music in Folkestone, spotlighting underrepresented artists across genres and scenes.
- Riot Gulll – live music and club night platforming women and gender-diverse fronted bands and DJs in punk, rock and beyond.
- Nu:Wave – immersive live music and sessions series, showcasing indie, alt-pop, folk, and lo-fi acts from Folkestone and other coastal towns.
We exist to connect, support and celebrate the people making music happen at a grassroots level.