Access Folk

What Are People Singing in Folk Song Clubs?
Reflections on songs sung in two East Midlands folk clubs 2017-2023
https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/74

Drawing on an extensive record of songs sung in two east midlands folk clubs from 2017-2023, Hugh Miller reflects on what people actually sing in folk clubs. He finds that counter to everyday perception of “folk” repertoire as grounded in traditional and century old songs, singers embraced an extraordinary variety of songs and styles. With this realisation he discusses what makes a song work in the folk club setting, regardless of its origin.

In this reflective piece, Laura Midgley draws on her mixed heritage to explore the Irish traditional music scene in Athens, Greece. She discusses the establishment of Irish music festivals in Athens and the intermingling of Greek, Irish and British musical identities. Having learnt the saz as a child, the instrument becomes a point of focus in connecting with Irish music as an adult, and reflecting on issues such as authenticity, diaspora and cultural identity.
https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/75

Have you ever thought about how singers adapt their style and repertoire to different venues and events? In this article Paul Mansfield explores strategic choice by amateur folk singers performing in different live music settings in the East Midlands. He notes that the unclear boundaries of what constitutes folk music may provide positive opportunities for communities and performers to repurpose folk repertoire for their own objectives.

https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/72/66

Hear about the findings from the first phase of the Access Folk project. Where are we now? What issues are people facing accessing folk singing? This extended article covers several of our innovative methods to work with existing and potential folk singers to better understand their feelings and experiences. (Find the 🔗 in our story)

https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/80/65

We are delighted to announce the publication of a new review of The Access Folk Podcast (Season 2). The review by Angela Moran (BIMM Birmingham) is available in the open access journal, Ethnomusicology Ireland (Vol 11, 2026).

We’re especially delighted with Moran’s assessment that the podcast’s ‘homespun style affords a sense that the listener is part of an evolving conversation’. She also praises the podcast’s concluding discussion, which brings together representatives from folk arts organisations based across the UK’s regions and devolved nations. She points out that this is a first time gathering and exemplifies, ‘the podcast’s success in building bridges … the Access Folk Podcast highlights the shared issues and demonstrates that, broadly speaking, more unites than divides these distinct regions. A satisfying conclusion for the podcast but, for Wettermark, the mere start of a process.’

Many thanks to Moran for her frank appraisal. And congratulations to Esbjorn and the Folk Policy Network for their ongoing good work!

https://doi.org/10.64208/TWWY6455

Our research associate Esbjorn Wettermark has written an article about research-based podcasts and how we produced the first series of the Access Folk podcast. Have a read and you can listen to the whole podcast series on our website.

Although academic podcasting has become almost ubiquitous over the last few years, there is relatively little research on co-producing podcasts in participatory research projects. We are very pleased to have an article contributing to this field in the latest issue of the Journal of Participatory Research Methods. The article outlines how we produced series one of the Access Folk podcast and gives an introduction on how academics can use podcasts as a method for critical engagement with stakeholders. There are also useful tips and suggestions for future podcast producers in this field.

We are delighted to announce the publication of a new open-access Special Issue of the The International Journal of Traditional Arts (Vol 5, 2026). The issue, Guest Edited by Fay Hield, Esbjörn Wettermark and Kirsty Kay, follows a participatory research approach to combine academic articles with reflective discussion pieces by practitioners. The contributions grew from our participatory ‘singposium’ held in Feb 2023 and explore issues of accessibility and inclusivity in contemporary folk singing cultures from a variety of contexts and perspectives. The issue is free to read online at https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk

Our Summer newsletter letter is here - find it on our Substack

Summer News 🌞 Fay on BBC R3, Folk Club visits, BFE Roundtable, A Basket Full of Eggs, International Journal of Traditional Arts, Ethnomusicology Ireland and more...

If you didn’t catch Professor Fay Hield’s contributions to last week’s episode of Composer of the Week you can catch up on BBC Sounds! The programme celebrated pieces whose authorship has been lost, deliberately obscured, or never recorded in the first place. Donald Macleod leads us down some delightful musical avenues and reveals some of the intriguing stories that lurk behind the moniker: Anonymous.

Basic knowledge about safeguarding and care for the health of your participants is important , regardless if you are working specifically with young people or adults at risk. There are many examples of signpost lists for organisations supporting people in need and it is useful for any organiser engaging with a variety of people from different circumstances. The charity Hourglass, who works to end abuse of elderly people, maintains a thorough signpost lists with basic information about charities and service providers across the UK.