Umbilical Chords is an arts and music collective that creates transformative events that have genuine human connection at the centre.
We combine eclectic, thoughtful and fun music curation with a special emphasis on building and decorating the spaces we use to create otherworldly environments. These temporary installations are designed to emulate the sensation of being in the womb - a shared experience buried deep in the subconscious of every human. These surroundings are intended to make those inside feel secure and able to express themselves.
Our story starts nearly a decade ago. As a sprawling group of friends, living and working in London, we connected over a love for music, art and expression.
We felt there was something missing from the club nights and gigs we went to. We wanted to create a space that facilitated the genuine human interaction we found each summer at festivals like Shambala and Waking Life, and platformed amazing music without taking itself too seriously. We began to experiment hosting gigs and parties at New River Studios in Manor House in 2017. In 2019, we began collaborating with another collective called Coop Audio to organise and programme a small 250-person participatory festival, The Weekender.
We especially seek to support non-male performers and platform early career acts. We have a wide community of live acts, performers and DJs who play at our events.
We take safety and wellbeing at our events seriously. Our core Umbilical Chords team have completed the Good Night Out Campaign training. We want to ensure we are doing what we can to create safe spaces at our events.
We have a comprehensive Umbilical Chords Wellbeing Policy, and have dedicated wellbeing team members at every night we organise.