Folk Arts and Cultural Policy: Developing networks and sharing knowledge across the UK’s devolved nations, regions and the Isle of Man - Podcast

How do specialist arts organisations experience cultural policy? How do folk and traditional arts fit within the various cultural ecosystems across the UK’s devolved nations, regions and the Isle of Man? How might the UK’s implementation of UNESCO’s Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage affect folk arts organisations in the coming years?

These questions and more were the themes of the knowledge exchange project Folk Arts and Cultural Policy in the UK’s Devolved Nations, Regions and the Isle of Man (University of Sheffield, 2024 - 2025). Drawing on interviews and a joint workshop with regional and national folk arts organisations in Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man we have summarised some of the partners' thoughts from the project in a 3 part podcast and a set of illustrated slides (separate DOI related).

A three episode podcast gives further depth to the project and includes interviews with the arts organisations and a recorded extract from the workshops discussions around the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. In each episode, the project research associate Dr Esbjörn Wettermark provides summaries and commentary on key issues discussed. The podcast also features music with outstanding folk artists from the different nations and regions on the Isles. The episodes come with summary show notes in several languages with suggested further readings, as well as a full transcript in English. Aimed at an interested general audience the material can be shared with a variety of audiences as well as students and arts and policy professionals.

Collaborators on the project: Katy Spicer (English Folk Dance and Song Society), Steve Byrne (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Breesha Maddrell (Culture Vannin), Ciarán Ó Maoláin (Armagh Pipers Club), Danny KilBride (Trac Cymru), and Daniel Woodfield (Lowender, workshop only).

Producer/sound tech: Kitty Turner

Translators for shownotes:

• Scots : Iona Fyfe
• Irish : Séamus Mac Conmidhe
• Scottish Gaelic : Alasdair MacCaluim
• Manx : Paul Rogers
• Welsh: Underline Transcription

The project is affiliated with the UKRI FLF project, Access Folk (MR/V023837/1), and was funded through the QR-Policy Support Fund administered by The University of Sheffield.

The project was approved by the University of Sheffield ethical review process: 059768