2024
Folk Education Development Day
Focus on the Midlands
June 2024. Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust, Northampton
It was a most enjoyable day and I’m still talking to people about it, so watch out for news of the next one! - Elizabeth Weaver (folk dancer and EFDSS member)
Read the full review by Elizabeth Weaver (PDF)
Folk Education Development Day
Engaging Young People in Folk Dance
March 2024. Cecil Sharp House, London
A brilliant day of dance development... friendly, informative and uplifting event – Jowdy Davey (Chair of Lowender CIO)
2023
Folk Education Development Day
A Multitude of Voices: Folk Arts and Communities
November 2023. University of East Anglia, Norwich
Presented in partnership with University of East Anglia
A truly inspiring, humbling day in a safe space for everyone to share their work with like-minded
people. – Alex Bartholomew and Lindsay Want (East Anglian Traditional Music Trust)
Folk Education Development Day: Fostering a Living Tradition
Tuesday 6 June 2023, Okehampton, Devon
Presented in collaboration with Wren Music
There was a very open discussion about racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and disablist material on the folk scene. I applaud the organisers here for taking steps into addressing this – Jen Cox
Folk Education Development Day: Teaching folk dance in schools and beyond
Saturday 4 March 2023, Cecil Sharp House, London
A brilliant opportunity to share ideas and learn new skills – Lisa Heywood
Read the review by Lisa Heywood (PDF)
2022
Folk Education Development Day: Regionality and Traditions
Monday 14 Nov 2022, Lancashire Conservation Studios, Preston, Lancashire
Using a sense of regional identity to build connections across diverse traditions and local communities.
A lively informal conference of presentations, panel discussions and workshops, alongside the opportunity to discuss and debate issues for artists, educators, practitioners, callers, and organisers – across folk music, dance, and related folk arts.
This event has shown me that collaborations in dance, song and music can be made pretty much anywhere, and between pretty much any styles. We should do more of these collaborations, not only to help bring morris to a wider and more diverse audience, as well as morris people learning about and appreciating non-morris dance styles. Who knows where it might lead us – Pauline Woods-Wilson
Youth-friendly Folk: Folk Education Development Day
Saturday 26 February 2022, Cecil Sharp House, London
A lively informal conference of presentations, panel discussions and workshops discussing and debating issues for artists, educators, practitioners, callers, and organisers across folk music, dance, and related folk arts.
How do we involve a more diverse range of young people in folk – in and out of school - in terms of ethnic diversity, gender equality, disability, and challenging circumstances?
Youth Friendly Folk felt like a really important moment for the folk and traditional scene. As someone who is queer, neurodivergent and speaking up about the inequalities in the scene it can sometimes feel as if people don’t care or as if these issues aren’t being heard or validated. The Folk Education Network created a space where people were able to speak openly and freely about the issues in the scene, and this felt revolutionary in a climate that is often accused of being resistant to change
FolkSafe – safeguarding tools for the folk sector
Online (via Zoom)
Wednesday 26 January 2022
An opportunity to find out about Brass Bands England’s (BBE) comprehensive NSPCC-approved BandSafe safeguarding programme, which is being tailored for the folk sector through a partnership between BBE and EFDSS.
Speakers: Sam Fisher, BBE Safeguarding Officer and Alex Parker, BBE Relationship and Partnership Development Manager, with members of the EFDSS Education team: Rachel Elliott, Education Director and Designated Safeguarding Officer, Sarah Jones, National Youth Folk Ensemble Programme Manager, and Kerry Fletcher, Folk Education Network Co-ordinator.
Presented by EFDSS in partnership with Brass Bands England
2021
Getting Back to Dancing in Person
Online (via Zoom)
18 September 2021
A focussed event for all social folk dancer callers, organisers and educators. Mutual support and sharing of thoughts, experiences and challenges ahead as we get back to dancing in person.
Watch the speakers on our Youtube video
Laura Connolly – Welcome and introduction
Jane Curry and Andrew Findlay – 04:32
John Sweeney – 30:38
Dr Wendy Timmons – 1:02:46
Diversifying Folk Education
Online (via Zoom)
30 June 2021
00:00 Introduction from Rachel Elliott
06:23 Tina K. Ramnarine
44:28 David Brookhouse
55:32 Aziz Ibrahim
Folk Education Network Discussion – Calling through Covid
Online (via Zoom)
20 March 2021
Brief review by Jane Bird
Folk Education Development Discussion – Youth Folk Dance
Online (via Zoom)
1 March 2021
Speakers: Laura Nicholson, Head of Children and Young People’s Dance, and Cameron Ball, U.Dance Festival Manager, One Dance UK
Featured Folk Educator Presentations: Rachel Cole-Wilkins (solo ceilidhs), Simon Harmer (Step Your Way project) and Liza Austin Strange (Fosbrooks)
Chaired by: Kerry Fletcher, Folk Educators Group Coordinator and Laura Connolly, Dance Development Manager
2020
Inclusive Folk Arts and Disability
Online (via Zoom)
13 November 2020
Review by Alex Cumming
Celebrating folk education in the North West
Online (via Zoom)
19 June 2020
Reviews by Isobel Bloomfield and Keith Allen
Callers’ Development Day
Cecil Sharp House, London
8 February 2020
Review by Alison Rowley
2019
Enabling rural youth to make and perform music
Bowes Museum, Country Durham
13 November 2019
Review by Cathy Tattersfield
Composition and Creativity with Folk
Stamford Arts Centre, Lincolnshire
19 June 2019
Review by Mary and Adam Cade
Callers' Development Day
Cecil Sharp House, London
9 February 2019
Review by Hannah Moore
2018
The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), University of Reading
Heritage and Creativity: intangible cultural heritage in action
20 November 2018 - Review by Keith Allen
The Public Hall, Liskeard Town Council, Cornwall
Community and Cultural Identity
21 June 2018 - Review by Sibs Riesen
Humanities Research Institute, University of Sheffield
Working across community settings: hospitals, care homes, schools and beyond
19 March 2018 - Review by Robyn Chicot
2017
Sunbeams Music Centre, Penrith
Working in Rural Settings
13 November 2017 - Review by Neil Diment
The Council Chamber, Chelmsford
26 June 2017 - Review by Carmen Hunt
Sage Gateshead
5 March 2017 - Review by Toby Bennett
2016
DanceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome
21 November 2016 - Review by Amy Leach
Cecil Sharp House, London
Inclusive Folk
17 June 2016
Cecil Sharp House, London
Museums and Folk Arts: Creating Education Projects Together (The Full English Extra)
16 March 2016
2015
Yorkshire Dance, Leeds
20 November 2015
Colston Hall, Bristol
25 June 2015
The Courthouse, Eastleigh
18 March 2015 - Review by Maxie Gedge
2014
University of Sheffield, Sheffield
19 November 2014
Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham
25 June 2014
The Old Fire Station, Oxford
28 February 2014
2013
Assembly Rooms, Derby
9 November 2013
The Met, Bury
27 June 2013
Cecil Sharp House, London
27 February 2013
2012
Halsway Manor, Somerset
29 November 2012
Shire Hall, Cambridge
13 June 2012
Cecil Sharp House, London
30 March 2012
2011
The Stables, Milton Keynes
22 November 2011
Sage Gateshead, Newcastle
13 July 2011
Cecil Sharp House, London
19 March 2011
