Join the National Youth Folk Ensemble! Are you aged between 12 and 18? Do you already play an instrument? Come to an Open Day this May to find out more about the National Youth Folk Ensemble @nationalyouthfolk Each Open Day will be: CREATIVE – music workshops with highly skilled professional folk musicians INFORMATIVE – Q&A about the National Youth Folk Ensemble FUN – opportunity to meet and play music with other young musicians FREE to attend Open Days are at @cecilsharphouse London, @exeterphoenix and @leedsmusicdrama Book your free place now. Link in bio - 'National Youth Folk Ensemble' #FolkMusic #FolkOrchestra #YouthMusic #MusicEducation

Applications for the £2,000 Alan James Creative Bursaries are now open! The bursary and residency Programme supports artists exploring new creative ideas inspired by and sourced from traditional folk music relating to England. The award offers ● a bursary of up to £2,000 ● research facilities at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library @thevwml ● up to five days of rehearsal space at Cecil Sharp House, London @cecilsharphouse or the Glasshouse International, Gateshead. @theglasshouseicm ● additional funding for Access needs. If you are a professional creative artist or group taking inspiration from folk music, apply now. Link in bio - click on 'Latest News' Image shows previous awardees @lucyandhazel_

Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you Thanks to David Owen @davidowenartist for this artwork from 2010. We have a framed print of it in our staff kitchen which we look at while washing up the tea cups. #StarWarsDay #MayThe4thBeWithYou #FolkCustomCalendarDay

See our Associate Company Folk Dance Remixed perform at Camden at 60: The Big Street Party on Monday 5 May. The team will demonstrate their unique fusion of traditional folk and contemporary street dance alongside others celebrating 60 years since the creation of the borough of Camden and its influence on the UK's music scene. @folkdance_remixed @love.camden #FolkDance #CamdenMusicScene

STATEMENT FROM ENGLISH FOLK DANCE AND SONG SOCIETY Everyone is welcome at Cecil Sharp House and to participate in the activities of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. In light of the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of sex and gender, we want to express our support of and solidarity with our trans and non-binary communities. We believe that everyone is deserving of dignity and the power to identify as they wish to. We continue to welcome everyone to use the facilities that they are comfortable using, and we continue to offer a range of choices. Inclusivity is an important part of the mission of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. With a culture of belonging, we value and celebrate diverse voices, promote equality in everything we do and actively welcome everyone to be involved in folk music and dance. We are proud to work with artists, practitioners and educators who represent and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. To all of our trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming visitors, staff, artists, practitioners, audiences and participants: you are welcome here; you are safe, respected and represented. Folk is for Everyone.

An Introduction to Maypole Dances For this month's Learning Resource, we have two sample dances, audio tracks kindly provided by the band Quicksilver, and sample lesson plans for school years 1 to 6, this resource created by Mike Ruff and Jenny Read is a practical and informative introduction to the maypole tradition. Link in bio - Resource Bank: free educational materials #Maypole #MayDay #FolkDance #FolkEducation

'Unite and unite and let us all unite, For summer is acome unto day, And whither we are going we will all unite, In the merry morning of May.' Photo taken by Cecil Sharp in 1914 - Padstow 'Obby 'Oss and attendants. From the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library @thevwml Lyrics from the 'Day Song' for Padstow's May Day 'Obby 'Oss Festival Merry May Day everyone!

Last chance to book! Steve Roud, creator of the Roud Folk Song Index, is presenting 'Folk Song in England': a six-week online evening course on the social history of traditional song and singing in England up to about 1950 (when the post-war Folk Revival changed things dramatically). We will be joined in week four by Dr Julia Bishop, an expert on the characteristics of the tunes. Online: Thursdays, 1 May - 5 June, 7.30pm. Book your place now - link in bio. @drjuliabish #FolkSong #SteveRoud #RoudIndex #SocialHistory #LearnOnline. Image: Folk Singer John Short with Rev. AA Brockington, 1914. Photo taken by Cecil Sharp

Library Book Sale: Bank Holiday Weekend Saturday 3 May, 10am - 4pm @thevwml is selling duplicate stock from the collection in order to make space for new books. Come along to North London on Saturday 3 May to browse the withdrawn stock which includes vinyl, CDs and tape cassettes, as well as books and pamphlets on folk music, dance and song. Cash and Card payment are both available. We already have some of the stock available to buy online now. link in bio - 'Latest News'

It's St George's Day, so here he is engaged in battle! Midgeley Pace Eggers, Students of Calder High School, 1964 (detail) Photo by Brian Shuel

Family Barn Dance: Maypole Special returns to @cecilsharphouse on Sunday 11 May 2025, for a fun-filled afternoon of lively family ceilidh and maypole dancing to welcome in the spring. The Family Barn Dances give children and their grown-ups the opportunity to take part and have a memorable time dancing together, as well as be dazzled by dance performances. This year’s event will feature guest performances from step dance Nickie Dailly, and Andean dances from Baila Peru @bailaperu_uk Sunday 11 May 1.30pm-4.30pm Book now - link in bio #MaypoleDancing #SpringVibes #FolkDance #FamilyFun

Are you looking forward to a lie-in or to be up before sunrise this bank holiday? “When I was visiting an old man last Easter Eve, he said: ‘If I were well, I should be up before sunrise tomorrow morning.’ ‘Why so?’ ‘What – don’t you know that everyone ought to see the sun rise on Easter Morning? When I was a youngster, our old master used to call us up before it was light, & I mind I’ve heard ‘n’ sing many times - “Get up, my men, I give you warning The sun will rise soon this Easter Morning. Shame to the man that lies a bed When Christ so early rose from the dead. And sees not the sun drive away night’s gloom On the morning that Jesus arose from the tomb.” J. B. Hughes, Staverton Vic. Totnes, Nov 11. 1892. Baring-Gould Ms. Ref. PC 2.71 (147b) From the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Collection #Easter

Our London Youth Folk Ensemble will be performing in Trafalgar Square this Monday (21 April) for the @mayorofldn's St George’s Day celebration. Our friends the @belles_of_london_city will be dancing and there is a promise of some Pearly royalty and even a Dragon!

We've just sent out the April Members' newsletter. Not a Member? You're missing out on a monthly round up of news and opportunities from the folk scene, and many other benefits. Join now for as little as £2 a month for Starter Membership. Become a Group Member for £92 and get public liability insurance to cover your whole club / side. Link in bio

We're proud to be a Coalition member for the Arts and Minds Campaign, designed to put pressure on the government to strengthen and reinstate the position of arts and culture in schools. The campaign has an Open Letter to the Secretaries of State for Education and for Culture, Media and Sport, which everyone can sign: ‘The government has made repeated commitments to put the arts back at the heart of education. We welcome the ambition to ensure every child has the chance to study creative subjects and reach their full potential wherever their talents lie... We are calling on you to ensure that ALL children can enjoy these rich and inspiring subjects THROUGHOUT their school life.’ Read more about the campaign and sign the Open Letter through the link in @theartsandmindscampaign bio

Monday Folk Singers (Online) “I come away feeling great – it’s wonderful to feel my voice soar in a supportive environment. Many of the other participants have become friends.” “If you arrive feeling grumpy, you definitely leave smiling!” “A serial participant since lockdown in March 2020, Jill kept thinking: oh, I won’t do it next term, but they keep on getting more and more interesting tutors” This term the tutor is @matt_quinn_music well known for his skills on the melodeon and as a singer, as well as running the Podcast @intheroudpod. Book now for Summer Term starting 28 April. Read More: link in bio, click 'Latest News'

Amy Hollinrake @amy_hollinrake has spent time in our Library @thevwml researching songs by and about women. As the recipient of an EFDSS Creative Bursary in 2024 she was able to use this research to write and rehearse new work during a residency with us in Cecil Sharp House. Amy will perform the results of some of that work at a solo gig at @cecilsharphouse on Thursday 24 April. Book now, Link in bio

Now that Spring has sprung, get a spring in your step too by finding a dance event taking place near you with our Folk Dance Calendar. Search by postcode and for regular classes or one of performances. You can also add your own dance events for free. Link in bio - Folk Dance Calendar #FolkDance #CalendarCustoms

An update from EFDSS Creative Bursaries recipient Randolph Matthews @randolphjmatthews on his ‘Black Salt’ project which explores the contributions of sailors from the African diaspora to the British maritime industry, focusing on the cultural and musical influences of sea shanties. His project investigates how African and Caribbean rhythms influenced the development of sea shanties. Historical records and literary sources, such as Marcus Rediker’s Villains of All Nations and Ray Costello’s Black Salt, indicate a significant cultural exchange between sailors and black dock workers. The practice of ‘shantying’ likely has roots in this interaction, with songs that facilitated communication and cohesion among diverse crews. His aim was to highlight these cultural contributions by developing new musical compositions that blend historical influences with contemporary interpretations. Read more about the project - link in bio, click 'Latest News' #SeaShanties #BlackHistory #FolkSong #MaritimeHistory #WIP

Tomorrow! Online! Finding Billy Waters: Regency London's Famous Black Busker Dr Mary L. Shannon drmarylshannon talks about she used 19th Century images of Billy Waters to help ‘fill in’ the gaps in her research as, like so many marginalised people from the past, he left no papers, writings, or diaries, meaning many basic facts about his life are missing. Join us online for this Library Lecture Tue 8 April 7.30pm - 9pm Online £5 Book your place - link in bio Image: Billy Waters. Aquatint, 1822. Wellcome Collection gallery #folkmusic #musichistory #londonhistory #blackhistory #disabilityhistory #maritimehistory

Your chance to hear folk stars of the future! The National Youth Folk Ensemble @nationalyouthfolk is made up of exceptional 14-18 year olds meet for intensive weeks of music-making, led by Artistic Director Jo Freya, with top musicians and educators including Miranda Rutter, Nancy Kerr, Adriano Adewale, Dave Gray, Grace Smith, Rob Harbron, Suntou Susso and others. Join us for a special evening of music created and performed by these rising stars. 10 April 7.30pm Book now via Gigs link in bio

Call for papers: Traditional Tunes and Popular Airs A two-day conference to be held on Saturday 8 – Sunday 9 November 2025 At @cecilsharphouse, London NW1 Proposals are invited for presentations (20 minutes + 10 minutes for discussion) on any aspect of the topic. The conference aims to bring together researchers working on ‘traditional’ and ‘popular’ tunes as transmitted and transformed in all manner of musical styles and genres, performance contexts, levels of society, historical periods, and geographical locations. We welcome a broad range of approaches, including historical research and ethnographic studies to illuminate melodic interrelationships. Relevant areas include music for performative dance (such as morris, sword, clog and other forms of step and percussive dance, Scottish, Irish and Welsh dance) and participatory dance (social, country, ceilidh/ceili), instrumental music, ballad operas and theatrical works, religious music, broadside balladry, minstrelsy, music hall, the pleasure gardens, domestic music-making, national and folk music, and children’s songs. Deadline for submission: 30 June 2025. Find out more - link in bio 'Latest News' #CallForPapers #MusicHistory #FolkMusic

Read our interview with Kuljit Bhamra @kuljit.bhamra MBE, one of the most prolific musicians, composers and record producers on the British Asian music scene, and co-creator of our Bhangra Ceilidh. "I have been fortunate enough to have played and collaborated in many countries worldwide. From a technical and musical-structure point of view, I can hear similarities in all types of folk music – be it African, Indian, English, Norwegian or Thai. It’s easy to recognise a chorus and verse structure (A section/B section). Many folk tunes are danceable and for that reason, they are musically-structured so that the listeners recognise certain bits and can sing, hum or dance along." Read the full interview on our website - click 'Latest News' link in bio. #FolkMusic #FolkDance #Bhangra #CeilidhDancing

Three Folk Tunes for Secondary Schools For this month's Learning Resource, we have selected this trio of folk tunes, put together by folk musician Oli Matthews for use with secondary school music and dance students. The pack contains some activity suggestions for teaching, as well as recordings of the tunes for you to use and enjoy. Image: Oli Matthews teaching Music GCSE group. Photo by Roswitha Chesher Click on 'Resource Bank' in the link in bio.

'Fool, Fool, April Fool You learn naught by going to school!' Although you'll learn lots by going to the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, where we have a huge archive of folk songs, music and rhymes. Text is from Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes and Tales, c1870. Image of a Fool is from Cecil Sharp House entrance door relief, a set of dancers as depicted in an old stained glass window from Staffordshire, now in the V&A. @thevwml #AprilFoolsDay #FolkCustom #FolkSong #CalendarCustom #NurseryRhyme