Introducing Folk England: a new name for our national folk arts organisation
Introducing Folk England: a new name for our longstanding folk arts organisation
Today, the public-facing name of our organisation has changed from English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) to Folk England – aligning with our mission to make folk music, song and dance inclusive for all.
Ahead of us celebrating our centenary in 2032, we see our new identity as reflecting our progressive vision to welcome new audiences and practitioners into the folk arts for the next century of folk arts, whilst continuing to cherish historic collections and sustain England’s evolving folk traditions.
Since 1932, Folk England has championed the traditional folk arts of England, honouring their histories alongside advocating for their continued evolution, as artists, practitioners and participants respond to the changing world around them. Through our collaborations and commissions, we have advocated diverse expressions and interpretations of folk music, song and dance, including funding Angeline Morrison’s landmark 2022 album The Sorrow Songs: Folk Songs of Black British Experience, produced by Folk England President Eliza Carthy, and co-creating the first-of-its-kind Black British Folk Takeover in 2025, also curated with Morrison.
Folk England has helped to develop cross-cultural works that have explored and redefined folk music and dance for the 21st century – creating the Bhangra Ceilidh with Kuljit Bhamra MBE in 2024, which has already reached over 4,000 people at 14 events, and commissioning Adriano Adewale and Friends’ Rooted and Rising (2026).
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting, nurturing and developing folk music and dance in England, we run the National Youth Folk Ensemble, one of the National Youth Music Organisations funded by Arts Council England. Now in its 11th year, the Ensemble was recognised in 2026 with the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) Impact Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Through our Artist Development programme, we also champion the creativity and career progression of folk artists, providing opportunities through grants and bursaries. Recent projects have supported the production of music videos for Claire Vine (Let No Man Steal Your Thyme) and Holly Clark (The Spectral Stag), while a grant to Frankie Archer helped fund the production and mixing of her album, The Dance of Death.
For nearly a century, our organisation has preserved and championed folk music, song and dance that celebrate our traditions, actively encouraging research and sharing knowledge through the library and archives. Folk England’s custodianship of the library and its archives is fundamentally interconnected with supporting artists and educators, creating opportunities for communities to learn, perform, participate and explore, and welcoming generations of folk talent to Cecil Sharp House and across England.
Katy Spicer, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Folk England, said: “For some years we have recognised that the breadth and ambition of the organisation’s work has far outgrown the previous name and acronym. For more than a decade, we have strived to extend the range of partners, artists and organisations we have worked with and the projects we have created to spotlight and celebrate folk dance and music of 21st century England. We’re really excited about our future as Folk England, and we are confident that this new public-facing name clearly and succinctly reflects our organisation as it is now, and into the future.”
Image: National Youth Folk Ensemble, performance at The Fire Station Sunderland, February 2025, photographer Amelia Read
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