A space for our community to share their experiences, challenges and concerns.
Folk Talk Together is an English Folk Expo (EFEx) initiative in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and following on from EFEx’s Folk Talk video advice series initiated during the UK’s Lockdown and the Folk Talk Live online conference this summer. It is designed to provide support and to give industry peers a chance to talk together in a safe space. Meetings take place weekly on Zoom and are open to all of those working in relevant areas of the broad definition of the folk music industry, with effort made to be as inclusive as possible.
Currently running are separate meetings for folk agents, artists and programmers, with plans to develop support for other areas of the business in the coming weeks. All meetings are exclusive to each sector to ensure people are able to speak freely. Meeting are not recorded.
Feedback from participants has been one of real gratitude for a chance to meet with colleagues and other artists, and to see friends and familiar faces again after so many months in isolation. The meetings have allowed participants to air shared worries and fears, to get support and encouragement from the people who are experiencing the same issues as them, to share new learning, news of new initiatives and to start to work together again to the benefit of our whole folk music community. New initiatives developed as a result of these meetings are already flourishing. Agents are working on a new code of ethics for the folk scene in response to recent safeguarding issues, artists have formed a private Facebook group to provide week-round support and promoters are sharing new models for live performance.
We look forward to further developments in the coming months and hope through Folk Talk Together we can all help each other to move forward, find solutions and respond positively to the current challenges.
‘It has been wonderful to see my agent friends again and has been noticeable how important these meetings have become for us all. We’re sharing contacts, ideas, funding opportunities, new models, new approaches. This is community in action and it works.’ – Terry O’Brien, Playpen Agency
If you would like to get involved either by attending an existing group or starting one for your sector, please get in touch with terry@englishfolkexpo.com
