EFDSS

EFDSS The English Folk Dance and Song Society – the national folk arts development organisation. EFDSS is the national folk arts development organisation for England.

We are here to champion the English traditional arts – music, song, dance, storytelling, customs and traditions – as part of the rich and diverse cultural landscape of the UK. We’re about preserving them, and we do that in our award winning library, the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (VWML) named after our former president, the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. But we’re also about promoting – shouting about the richness and huge variety of art forms and wonderful people that work under this all-encompassing, very elastic term called FOLK, and providing endless opportunities for people to get involved. And we’re about developing. Folk is living, breathing and constantly being re-invented; we encourage artists to be inspired by the songs and dances that have been handed down through the generations and support them in various ways to create new songs, tunes and dances. From big bands to solo singers, morris dancers to contemporary choreographers, schools to mass participation, intimate folk clubs to major concert halls – our work reaches far and wide. And we’d love you to be a part of it.

We're delighted to be offering one of our Bhangra Ceilidhs with Kuljit Bhamra at the English National Ballet as part of ...
10/09/2026

We're delighted to be offering one of our Bhangra Ceilidhs with Kuljit Bhamra at the English National Ballet as part of their Open House Festival Open City, allowing you to see the inner workings of a professional ballet company.

Bhangra Ceilidh
Mulryan Centre for Dance
Saturday 19 September
2:30pm – 4pm
No booking necessary, just join in.
https://www.ballet.org.uk/production/open-house/

Image courtesy of U.Dance Dani Bower

We're delighted to announce the final headliner of the Black British Folk Takeover: Muco ✨Muco is a singer, songwriter a...
10/09/2026

We're delighted to announce the final headliner of the Black British Folk Takeover:

Muco ✨

Muco is a singer, songwriter and composer of British-Burundian heritage whose music is shaped by a love of language and storytelling. He specialises in reimagining medieval folk songs and poetry in Middle and Old English, alongside original songs with lyrics inspired by myth and folklore.

The festival-style all-dayer includes traditional folk sounds, modern British music inspired by folk traditions, workshops, live conversation and much more. Curator Angeline Morrison Music and friends take over the House with folk sounds, songs, and stories that shine a long overdue light on the African Diaspora's love for, and ongoing conversations with, British folk.

Sat 17 Oct
Find out more and book: bit.ly/4xAWUpM

Photo: Tash Rajan

Learn traditional song covering a variety of genres – from ballads and comic songs to work songs and ceremonial songs – ...
09/09/2026

Learn traditional song covering a variety of genres – from ballads and comic songs to work songs and ceremonial songs – as well as a wealth of singing styles.
Song Class, taught by Hazel Askew of The Askew Sisters
Cecil Sharp House
Term starts 20 September
10am-11am

This is open to all: songs are learnt by ear without musical notation and field recordings are often used for source material.
Book now https://bit.ly/4puVE4w

This week's episode of Classic Folk includes tracks by: Dan Walsh - Banjo/Vocal/GuitarCulverakeBert JanschCyril TawneyJa...
08/09/2026

This week's episode of Classic Folk includes tracks by:
Dan Walsh - Banjo/Vocal/Guitar
Culverake
Bert Jansch
Cyril Tawney
James Findlay
The Expatriate Game
Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith
Nick Hart
Mickey’s Son & Daughter
Peta Webb & Ken Hall
Peter & Barbara Snape With Poppy Weatherall
Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones
Alvar Smith
Rosewood
FUNI - Bára Grímsdóttir & Chris Foster
English Acoustic Collective
Sarah Matthews
Joan Baez
Bob Dylan
Alison McMorland
Damien O'Kane
doghouse roses
Frank Harte & Donal Lunny
Cara Dillon
Elephant Sessions
Judy Dinning
Bob Fox & Stu Luckley
The McCalmans

Classic Folk with Mike Norris Classic Folk is unique. It mines a rich seam of wonderful folk and roots music and song from around 75 years of recordings. From the great source singers to the legends of folk rock, the travellers to the

Join us for the Folk Arts as Intangible Cultural Heritage ConferenceSaturday 24 OctoberCecil Sharp House, London NW1The ...
07/09/2026

Join us for the Folk Arts as Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference
Saturday 24 October
Cecil Sharp House, London NW1

The one-day conference explores the current place of folk arts in England in relation to the UK-wide implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Noting the lack of unified ICH initiatives in England, the conference will provide inspiration for future projects and engagement. Through our keynote, invited speakers and presentations we will bring English perspectives into conversations with views and experiences from across the UK and beyond.

Organisers: Vaughan Williams Memorial Library in collaboration with Esbjörn Wettermark and Access Folk (University of Sheffield)

Buffet lunch and tea and coffee are included in the ticket price.
Book now https://bit.ly/4gGcKto

Hill Drawingsby Melvyn RobinsonCecil Sharp House Free entryAn exhibition of paintings inspired by the style and landscap...
04/09/2026

Hill Drawings
by Melvyn Robinson
Cecil Sharp House
Free entry

An exhibition of paintings inspired by the style and landscapes of chalk hill figures.
Exhibition open from Tuesday 15 September to Monday 11 January.

The paintings incorporate a drawing style inspired by hill figures such as the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset, the Uffington White Horse in Berkshire, and other Celtic, Viking, and Anglo-Saxon sources, while depicting contemporary landscapes and are accompanied by poems and folksongs.

View the exhibition online: https://bit.ly/4gO6YV8

Image:
Melvyn Robinson
Giant's Footsteps
Watercolour on paper

04/09/2026

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Celebrating the outstanding work of local volunteer groups across the UK.

Are you dancing?We're asking!Our folk dancing classes start again later this month at Cecil Sharp House.Morris Dancing c...
03/09/2026

Are you dancing?
We're asking!

Our folk dancing classes start again later this month at Cecil Sharp House.
Morris Dancing class - Tuesday evenings with London Pride Morris (photo by Peter Kanssen)
English Country Dancing class - Thursday evenings

Save money by booking for the full term.

Book now - https://bit.ly/4iafccL

Monday Folk Singers OnlineYou will learn repertoire, arrangements and folk style singing from an established folk singer...
02/09/2026

Monday Folk Singers Online

You will learn repertoire, arrangements and folk style singing from an established folk singer and educator, this term the wonderful Jennifer Reid. All material is taught by ear.

The online course will make the most of the benefits of learning online. You will learn songs from our tutor’s extensive repertoires as well as harmonies that you can sing with others, but focus will be less on multi-part arrangements and more on developing as folk singers (at any level) in a supportive environment. You will get to listen to different interpretations of songs, see examples from archives and field recordings and learn about the tutor’s approach to their singing and folk songs.

Term starts 21 September.
Book now: https://bit.ly/4pEAvoe

Image: Jennifer Reid performs at the Working Class Creative Exchange in Manchester. Photo: Iqra Saied

The band all together one last time!National Youth Folk Ensemble played Purbeck Valley Folk Festival last week, which wa...
02/09/2026

The band all together one last time!
National Youth Folk Ensemble played Purbeck Valley Folk Festival last week, which was Jo Freya's very last performance as the Ensemble's Artistic Director.

This photo was taken when Suntou Susso had just turned up with his band; NYFE burst out singing in the song he had taught them in October 2024. He was astonished and thrilled they remembered it and were singing it in beautiful harmony. It was a lovely moment.
We will miss you Cohort 10!

Address

2 Regents Park Road
London
NW17AY

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 11pm
Tuesday 9am - 11pm
Wednesday 9am - 11pm
Thursday 9am - 11pm
Friday 9am - 11pm
Saturday 9am - 11pm
Sunday 9am - 11pm

Telephone

+442074852206

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