Ben R. Atkinson

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Home > Archives for 18th February 2026

18 Feb 2026

Play at Country on the Eye: Acoustic Stage sign-ups now open!

Acoustic guitar
 

Do you have what it takes to captivate a crowd with just a guitar and a microphone?

We are delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications for artists and bands to join our inaugural line-up on the Acoustic Stage at Country on the Eye!

Situated right in the heart of the Festival Village, the Acoustic Stage is where the magic happens up close. It’s a place for stories, songs, and soul—running all day on Saturday, 13th June.

Why Apply?

  • The Ultimate Prize: One overall act from our acoustic sessions will be chosen to open the Main Stage at Country on the Eye 2027!

  • Merch: Sell your CDs and gear directly to our festival-goers.

  • Perks: Selected acts receive weekend tickets for themselves and a guest.

How to Enter: We’ve made it simple to show us what you’ve got. You can either:

Post an acoustic video of an original song to your socials, tagging @countryontheeye and Ben’s Country Music Show, OR

Provide a YouTube link to a performance and share our festival poster on your social media.

Apply Now

Applications close Thursday, 10th April. All acts will be notified of the outcome via email. We can’t wait to hear your sound!

Recent Posts

  • Two Months Countdown to Country On The Eye 13th April 2026
  • Final Lineup Featuring Song Suffragettes and Jeff Cohen 20th March 2026
  • Bob Cheevers to break retirement for exclusive UK performance 6th March 2026
  • Play at Country on the Eye: Acoustic Stage sign-ups now open! 18th February 2026
  • Welcome to Country on the Eye 21st January 2026
  • British Association for American Studies Website Re-Design Project 14th October 2022
  • Destination Moorhead: A Decade Later 15th August 2021
  • Country Music: Race, Gender and Transition in the year of COVID-19 14th June 2021
  • You can’t teach an old blog new tricks 13th June 2021
  • New Video: Speed of the Sound of Loneliness 14th April 2020

Blog Categories

  • Music
  • Professional
  • PhD
  • Higher Education
  • PGCHE

Blog Tags

Country Music CRJ EDU720 Events flipped learning higher education learning activities PGCHE reflection student learning

About Ben R. Atkinson

Ben R. Atkinson is a writer, musician, and presenter who can be heard broadcasting on radio stations around the world, is known for his novels, radio dramas, and who writes and performs his own music in the country/folk genre. Ben is currently studying for his PhD in Ethnomusicology at the University of Lincoln in the UK.

Subject Specialisms

Digital Media, American Studies,
Pedagogy, Learning Technology

Qualifications

PhD Music — University of Lincoln, 2026 / PGCHE — Falmouth University, 2019 / Fellow HEA - Higher Education Academy, 2018 / MA Digital Media — University of Lincoln, 2015 BA(Hons) Media Production — University of Lincoln, 2013 /

Awards

Graduate Intern of the Year, University of Lincoln — 2014 / Outstanding Contribution to the Lincoln School of Media — 2013

Contact

Email: hello@benratkinson.com

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