Call for Papers: Folk Arts as Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference

Thursday 25th of June 2026

Folk Arts as Intangible Cultural Heritage in England Conference

In collaboration with Esbjörn Wettermark and Access Folk (University of Sheffield)
Saturday 24 October, Cecil Sharp House, London

This one-day conference explores the current place of folk arts in England in relation to the UK-wide implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It will be an inspiring day for practitioners, educators, arts organisations and academics who are engaging, or want to engage, with Intangible Cultural Heritage/Living Heritage discussions in England.

The UK’s 2024 ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was unexpected even for many organisations and activists who had long campaigned for the convention. The UK, and England in particular, have historically had a complicated relationship with the notion of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). In the first years after the convention was established, heritage scholars Laurajane Smith and Emma Waterton interviewed officials working at Heritage England, the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sports, and UNESCO to understand where ICH fitted within the UK’s heritage sector’s priorities. From the English side there was reluctance to see ICH as part of their remit, with one interviewee from Historic England stating bluntly that “the UK has no Intangible heritage” (Smith & Waterton, 2008, p. 297). Their interviews with UNESCO officials demonstrate confusion with the UK, or rather England’s position: “the intangibles ARE heritage ... that is what heritage is. […] We have trouble with England, who resist very strongly this way of thinking. They are stuck in their own mindset” (ibid., p. 299, their emphasis). This position has shifted considerably and in 2026 we see that institutions and government want to engage with ICH. But, while ‘mindset’ may have changed, England is still behind the devolved UK administrations in developing strategies and policy to support and safeguard ICH). Scotland, in particular, has led the way in developing frameworks for supporting ICH through the ICH Scotland Partnership (Local Voices CIC, 2021).

Noting the lack of unified ICH initiatives in England, the conference will provide inspiration for future projects and engagement. Through our keynote, invited speakers and presentations we will bring English perspectives into conversations with views and experiences from across the UK and beyond.

Possible formats

  • 20 min papers, followed by 10 min for questions.
  • Posters (A2)
  • Photo/voice presentation (2-3 min, one photo/illustration and voice over)
  • Short video (2-3 min).

We invite submissions of both academic and practitioner-led papers. In addition, we encourage papers from individuals and organisations who have engaged with the ongoing implementation of the UNESCO convention in England.

Posters, Video and Photo/Voice submissions will be entered into a competition. We particularly encourage students and early career folk arts practitioners/professionals to consider these formats.

Topics

Possible topics as they relate to the central theme of ICH/Living Heritage and folk arts in England, and performing arts in particular:

  • Individual art forms and practices as ICH/Living Heritage (for example, morris dancing, sessions, singing etc.)
  • Engaging with the ICH inventory process
  • Folk arts and cultural policy (local/national/international)
  • Folk arts and cultural rights
  • Folk arts of minorities and marginalised groups and the ICH implementation
  • Engaging with Englishness in the context of ICH
  • The economics of folk arts practices (funding/income/volunteering)
  • Folk arts and heritage tourism
  • Folk Arts in England more broadly

We take a broad perspective on the notion of “folk arts” but if needed we will prioritise submissions relating to the remit of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

Further information

Note that due to capacity issues the conference will be in-person only. Poster, video and photo/voice submissions will be considered also from those unable to attend on the day.

Please send 200-word proposals to the conference organisers at [email protected]

Deadline for submission: 21 August 2026.

We expect to be able to confirm with speakers in early September, and plan to publish the programme in late September.