Our Chief Executive Katy Spicer will receive The Elaine Weissman Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of EFDSS during the opening evening of the 28th annual Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas, USA, on Wednesday, February 17.
The award is named for one of the founders of Folk Alliance International, the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry. Each year, the awards are presented to a living recipient, a memorial recipient and an active organisation and are determined by a select international panel.
Past recipients include Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, The Carter Family, Bill Monroe, Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, Robert Johnson, Bessie Jones, Alan Lomax, The Newport Folk Festival, Old Town School of Folk Music, National Council for Traditional Arts, and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, among others.
EFDSS Chief Executive Katy Spicer said:
“As an organisation, we are thrilled to be recognised for our work in preserving, promoting and disseminating traditional English folk arts.
“To join such esteemed organisations such as the American Folklife Center and folk luminiaries as song collector Alan Lomax is a great honour.”
EFDSS has been showcasing English folk artists at Folk Alliance for the past four years. The 2016 artists attending include Leveret, Nancy Kerr and Lady Maisery.
About Folk Alliance International
Folk Alliance International is a unique and one-of-a-kind annual conference that features the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community.
Boasting a yearly attendance of more than 2,500 registrants, the conference features official showcases, exhibitors, educational panels and professional development workshops held under one roof, bringing together musicians, educators and music industry professionals from throughout the world to share ideas, network, and promote folk music.
With 190 artist showcases, this year’s conference will feature artists from 11 countries, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Estonia, India, and Japan.
