The Access Folk Podcast

Welcome to The Access Folk Podcast and our special series on Folk Arts, Cultural Policy and UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the first episode Esbjörn Wettermark talks to Breesha Maddrell from Culture Vannin on the Isle of Man and Ciarán Ó Maoláin from Armagh Pipers Club in Northern Ireland. At the start of the episode Esbjörn introduces the terms folk arts and policy. What is Folk Arts? There is no single definition of what constitutes the folk arts. In fact, several of the organisations involved in this project use other terms, such as traditional arts, or combinations such as folk music and dance traditions. The very broad definition we use is described by Esbjörn as ‘art forms and styles of cultural expressions that are based in oral transmission, have a sense of connection to place, and are perceived by practitioners as being part of a people’s culture – something connected to everyday life rather than being part of an institutionalised art form’. Words like folk or traditional can have many different meanings depending on the context and you can find more information about this in the further readings below. What is Policy? Policy can be a tricky word, but it generally refers to a decision or plan of action taken by a government or organisation to ensure a certain outcome. Policy expert Prof. Paul Cairney’s website is a great starting point to learn about what policy is and how policy making and research on policy works in the UK. v Isle of Man Culture Vannin is the Isle of Man’s main arts development organisation. They are based in St John’s in the centre of the island. Director Dr Breesha Maddrell talks about the specific context of Isle of Man and how they work with the Isle of Man Arts Council and Government. She discusses the importance of language policies and the UNESCO Biosphere project. Visit Culture Vannin’s website for more information about their work and Manx culture and language. Download the Isle of Man’s National Development Strategy for Culture and The Arts 2017-2027 from the Isle of Man Arts Council’s website. Northern Ireland The Armagh Pipers Club was founded in Armagh in 1966 and is one of the oldest Irish traditional music organisations in Northern Ireland. The club’s secretary, Ciarán Ó Maoláin, talks about the club’s history and long relationship with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. He describes their work in the context of intercommunity tension and his hopes for policy changes and development in the region. Visit the Armagh Pipers Club’s website for more information about the club and their annual international piping festival. Download the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Strategic Plan 2024-2034 from their website. Further reading Belfiore, Eleonora. 2022. ‘Is It Really about the Evidence? Argument, Persuasion, and the Power of Ideas in Cultural Policy’. Cultural Trends 31 (4): 293–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/09548963.2021.1991230. Cairney, Paul. 2022. ‘The Myth of “Evidence-Based Policymaking” in a Decentred State’. Public Policy and Administration 37 (1): 46–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0952076720905016. Chaney, Paul. 2015. ‘Parties, Promises and Politics: Exploring Manifesto Discourse on Arts Policy in Westminster, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Elections 1945–2011’. International Journal of Cultural Policy21 (5): 611–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2014.943754. Dowling, Martin. 2008. ‘Fiddling for Outcomes: Traditional Music, Social Capital, and Arts Policy in Northern Ireland’. International Journal of Cultural Policy 14 (2): 179–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286630802106359. Foskett, Holly. 2023. ‘Cultural Policy and Arts Engagement for the Working Class in Northern Ireland. Case Study: “The Gert and Friend” Project’. Queen’s Policy Engagement (blog). 2 November 2023.http://qpol.qub.ac.uk/cultural-policy-and-arts-engagement-for-the-working-class-in-northern-ireland-case-study-the-gert-and-friend-project/. McKerrell, Simon. 2014. ‘Folk and Traditional (Definitions)’. Simon McKerrell - Research on the Social Impact of Music (blog). 2 June 2014. https://simonmckerrell.com/2014/06/02/98/. Russell, Zoe. 2023. ‘The Isle of Man Biosphere Reserve: An Entire Nation Approach to Sustainable Development’. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 25 (3): 273–86.https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2022.2099366. Music Ruth Keggin and Rachel Hair performed the Manx language song ‘Ny Kirree fo Niaghtey’ from their 2022 album Lossan Conor Mallon performed ‘Mist from the Moyle’ from his 2023 album Unearthed. The theme music was ‘Old Adam (Reprise)’, performed by Fay Hield and her band from her 2016 album Old Adam. All music is used with permission from artists and rights holders. General information This special series of The Access Folk Podcast was produced as part of the Knowledge Exchange Project, ‘Folk Arts and Policy in the UK’s Devolved Nations and Regions, and the Isle of Man’. The project ran from April to November 2024, and was supported by Policy Support Funding from the University of Sheffield. Access Folk is a UKRI-funded Future Leaders Fellowship led by Prof Fay Hield at the University of Sheffield. Learn more about Access Folk’s research on folk singing and participation on our website.   The podcast was recorded and produced by Esbjörn Wettermark and Kitty Turner.