English Folk Dance and Song Society adopts Folk England name
The national folk arts organisation has changed its public-facing name to reflect the breadth of its work and encourage wider participation in folk music, song and dance.
The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) has adopted Folk England as its public-facing name, announcing the change on 5 November ahead of its centenary in 2032.
The organisation says the new identity reflects its work supporting England’s evolving folk traditions, alongside its role in preserving historic collections and opening up the folk arts to new audiences and practitioners.
Its education and artist development programmes include the National Youth Folk Ensemble, one of the National Youth Music Organisations funded by Arts Council England. Now in its 11th year, the ensemble received the Association of British Orchestras’ Impact Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in 2026.
Recent collaborations have explored different cultural perspectives on folk traditions. The organisation supported Angeline Morrison’s 2022 album The Sorrow Songs: Folk Songs of Black British Experience, produced by its president, Eliza Carthy, and co-created the Black British Folk Takeover with Morrison in 2025.
Other projects include the Bhangra Ceilidh, developed with Kuljit Bhamra in 2024, which has reached more than 4,000 people across 14 events, and the 2026 commission Rooted and Rising by Adriano Adewale and Friends.
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.’
She added, ‘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.’
Alongside grants and bursaries supporting artists’ careers, Folk England will continue its custodianship of its library and archives, connecting research and historic collections with opportunities to learn, perform and participate at Cecil Sharp House and across England.