The Alan James Creative Bursary:Residency and Research Programmes, aim to support artists exploring new creative ideas inspired by and sourced from traditional folk music relating to England. Now in its 14th year, this programme provides artists with an opportunity to undertake creative exploration without the pressure of a final product.
This year we are delighted to be partnering again with the Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Gateshead) to offer residency space for one project in Gateshead.
Alan James, a former Chair of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, died suddenly in April 2019. We name these Creative Bursaries in his honour. In the spirit of Alan’s eclectic musical tastes and his ability to foster exciting artistic collaborations, we have encouraged applications which explore English folk music in the context of cross-genre or cross-art form collaborations and explorations.
Five projects have been supported this year to undertake creative research and development for new folk music and performance projects:
-Two bursaries at £2,000 together with use of rehearsal space at Cecil Sharp House or the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and access to the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library; and
-Three research bursaries of £500.
All of which are funded through the PRS for Music Foundation Talent Development Partner scheme, Arts Council England, and the Garrick Charitable Trust fund. They fall under the umbrella of our Artists’ Development Programme, which provides professional development support, both creative and business, to artists at all stages of their careers.
Bursaries for 2026 have been awarded to:
Emily Askew & Joseph Hardy
Emily Askew is one of the foremost performers and interpreters of traditional music, and Joseph Hardy is an actor, musician and composer; he was a Finalist in the 2025 Off West End Awards for his music in LAStheatre's The Littlest Yak.
A bursary has been offered to support the development of a unique and adventurous show for young audiences that fuses live folk music and original songs reflecting the world children inhabit today while involving theatricality and storytelling.
Liz Hanks & Helen Mort
Liz Hanks is a cellist and composer whose work bridges folk, contemporary, and experimental music. Her acclaimed album Land (Hudson Records) explores themes of place and nature.
‘Really intriguing’ - Mark Radcliffe, BBC R2
Helen Mort is a Sheffield-based author who has published four poetry collections with Chatto & Windus. Her latest book is ‘Stepmother’ (2026). She has also published a memoir, short fiction and a novel.
‘Superb young Sheffield poet’ - Financial Times
The bursary has been offered to support Liz and Helen to develop a new body of work exploring Sheffield’s forgotten historical landscapes and hidden waterways.
Aellin (Siân Magill)
Weaving together the acoustic traditions of UK folk song with immersive sonic textures (granular synthesis, field recordings, augmented captured sound) Âellin forges new auditory worlds where narrative song, improvisation, and experimental practice coexist.
The research bursary will support research and development time for new music drawing on folklore, mythology, and literature. The project explores collective memory, dream states, and the embodied histories of people and land. An exploration as deeply human as it is otherworldly.
Image: Still from a film by Nirvana Warner Hughes
Alex Lyon, Finn Collinson, Finn Harty & Sam Partridge.
Alex Lyon (clarinet), Finn Collinson (recorder), Finn Harty (trombone) and Sam Partridge (wooden flute) come together to establish a dedicated wind chamber ensemble specialising in the performance, research, and revitalisation of traditional English instrumental repertoire. Collectively, they bring experience as performers, educators, arrangers, researchers, and students of traditional music.
The bursary will fund two research days to support the development of the wind chamber ensemble. Exploring the textures, colours, and expressive possibilities of wind instruments within the English tradition, they aim to help establish a new area of creative practice through this project.
Kate Arnold
Fresh from a practice-based PhD on Old French song and Arabic poetry of the 12th-13th centuries, Kate is now recording her third solo album, centred around hammered dulcimer and strings incorporating real-time electronic effects and live-looping. In 2024-5 she was a featured performer associated with the British Library's Medieval Women: In Their Own Words exhibition.
A research bursary has been awarded to Kate Arnold to explore English folk songs from the 16th to early 20th centuries related to the Middle East/Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.
‘Absolutely extraordinary’ - BBC Radio 3
Image: Centrala, John Convery
Read more about the English Folk Dance and Song Society’s bursaries
Katy Spicer, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, said: ‘Our bursaries are designed to kick-start projects, giving artists time to bring their ideas to life. We are delighted to pay tribute to Alan James with these six exciting and eclectic projects and very grateful to the PRS Foundation for their continued support.’
Recent English Folk Dance and Song Society creative bursaries have kick-started ground-breaking and far-reaching projects such as Angeline Morrison’s The Sorrow Songs, Sophie Crawford and George Sansome’s Queer Folk, Stick in the Wheel’s Perspectives on Tradition, Rowan Rheingans’ Dispatches on the Red Dress, and many more.
About PRS Foundation
PRS Foundation supports organisations from across the UK which have been selected as PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners. These organisations are working at the frontline of talent development in the UK, supporting a broad range of individual music creators across different music genres and UK regions. This reflects PRS Foundation’s commitment to supporting composers and songwriters of all backgrounds either through direct investment or by helping organisations which nurture music creators and promote their music to audiences at home and overseas. prsfoundation.com
Partners
Funders
This programme is funded by
