What we are doing now

Well, times are changing.

In a recent statement the Arts Council said: ‘As you are aware for the last four years Folk Arts England (FAE) have been funded by Arts Council England, to deliver a wide range of services to the folk music sector.

In November last year FAE decided that they would like to focus their resources on a number of strategic projects and not continue as an Arts Council regularly funded organisation after March 2009. The Arts Council is supportive of FAE's decision and is allocating funds in 2009/10 towards the organisation's work in:

o The delivery of the FAE Conference and training work in 2009
o The development of the programme in 2010
o Research into the possibility of making Direct Roots accessible on line.

The Arts Council recognises the valuable contribution that Steve Heap, the board and staff of FAE have made to raising the profile of the sector through the FAE Conference, campaigning work and the production of Direct Roots. The Arts Council is committed to supporting the development of folk music in England to ensure that the legacy of the work instigated by FAE continues.

In 2009-11 the Arts Council has allocated a budget of £200K per annum to support the development of folk music in England and is now working with the support of  FAE to research the needs of the folk music sector in order to establish how it can best be supported in the future.’

Current Priorities are…

So, as we approach the end of this regularly funded period the work, at least some of it will go on.

• The Association of Festival Organisers will live on as it has since 1987. 
• We will continue to write and collate new resource documents for publishing online and organise a Conference
• Members of FolkArts England are being invited to transfer their membership to the Association of Festival Organisers
• We will continue to stay close to revisions of the 2003 Licensing Act and keep people informed as much as possible
• We will be working with many other activists in developing examples of best practice, especially in festival management
• We will prepare a FolkArts England annual report to demonstrate the work that has been done in the last four years
• We are continuing to consult with other bodies to try and achieve Direct Roots as an online publication for the sector.

Ongoing Priorities

• The Association of Festival Organisers will stay in contact with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Folk Arts, which was set up by FolkArts England
• On behalf of AFO we will work to establish folk festivals and celebrations in links with UK tourism
• We will continue to approach the media and raise awareness of the value of folk roots and traditional music wherever possible

Long Term Plan

• To widen the membership of the Association of Festival Organisers
• Continue our annual Conference
• Support folk roots and traditional music through promotions, concerts and festivals.