Since 2009 we have supported a number of artists over an extended period of time as artists-in-residence and associate artists.
These long-term commitments enable diverse and talented professional artists to develop and deliver creative projects, and sometimes educational projects, with and for EFDSS.
2021–2022: Marie Bashiru
Marie is a London based singer/songwriter whose describes her music as ‘resembling an amalgam of folk, soul, and indie rock’. We have supported Marie’s research into the impact of English folk music on different cultural groups, in particular people of colour. We have also supported her project exploring the power of folk music in England and its impact on different groups within society – in particular people of colour – and the often-underappreciated worldwide influences on English folk music.
2011–present: Folk Dance Remixed, Associate Artists
Folk Dance Remixed is the brainchild of artists Kerry Fletcher and Natasha Khamjani. They met in 2010 through a project presented by East London Dance together with EFDSS, and decided to bring together their Folk and Hip Hop dance/music practice. They created a company to combine these two art forms, creating high-energy dance and music shows, ceilidhs, and workshops for outdoor performance. Their work is a unique remix of Maypole, Clogging, Ceilidh, Street, House and Breakdance with a hint of African and Bollywood, performed to a live soundtrack of fiddle and beat boxing. In autumn 2022 EFDSS commissioned Folk Dance Remixed to produce Hope, their first stage show for indoor theatrical spaces, funded by the Weston Culture Fund.
2014–2015: Adriano Adewale
The virtuosic percussionist and composer created a new work for percussion and voice entitled Within the Waves. The show was inspired by the sea-fairing traditions of Adriano’s native Brazil and those of England and drew upon the folk music from both countries. It featured the Cecil Sharp House Choir, Werca’s Folk Choir and Communards singer Sarah Jane Morris. Within the Waves was co-commissioned with Serious and premiered at Cecil Sharp House as part of the EFJ London Jazz Festival 2015; it was supported by the Cockayne Foundation.
2011–14: Laurel Swift and Debs Newbold
Laurel and Debs brought together their combined skills as folk dancer/musician and writer/storyteller to create and perform Under Her Skin, a modern retelling of an ancient selkie tale. After this joint production, EFDSS have supported the development of their individual projects Travelling with Thomas (Laurel) and Lost in Blue (Debs).
2009–10: Matthew Cowan, Visual Artist
Matthew exhibited his own work and developed and curated the Cecil Sharp House exhibitions programme. Exhibitions included To Lubberland (own work), and Flash Company
with 40 contributing artists.
