News

If you are starting to wonder what’s on when at this years Festival then wonder no longer! We have created a nice little run sheet of highlights for you to muse over while we put the final touches to the entire program, which we anticipate releasing within days, so stay tuned….

Until then, here’s a sneak peak:

2012 Daily Program Highlights

Late last year we put the call out for people to donate balls of yarn to be used at the 2012 Festival. We were on the lookout for wool of any colour and thickness to decorate and define a space in central park for a Labyrinth. Festival patrons will then be able to contribute at the event by weaving, twisting and knitting around the trees that define the Labyrinth space.

Well, as the saying goes, ask and you shall receive…click on the link below to see the amazing wall of boxes donated by a wonderful person in our festival community – all full of yarn just ready and waiting to decorate our Labyrinth!

The Great Wall of Yarn

We are not great fans of jargon here at the National Folk Festival but we are happy to support all efforts to encourage what the educators call “lifelong learning”. We’d like to think that everyone who comes to the festival will go away having experienced something new, whether trying a whistle for the first time, whacking sticks at a Morris dancing workshop or singing harmonies in the Festival Choir.

Performance is at the core of the Festival. Whether singer, dancer, musician, MC , storytelling stallholder or the volunteer who entertains as he or she goes about her work – the heart and soul of the Festival is performance. The Festival experience is not about simply being a consumer or spectator at the concerts – we hope it’s much more about making your own personal contribution to this fabulous event.

Here at the NFF, we figure that it’s never too late to learn to play an instrument given the opportunity and the commitment. To prove the point, we have approached Canberra ABC’s Marcus Kelson and his wife Virginia Cook to see if they would be game enough to take up the challenge. Amazingly both agreed without hesitation. Marcus is now learning mandolin and Virginia has taken up the fiddle. The challenge is to pull together a playable set for the Festival – a big ask but we are confident they will manage it. Both are pretty much starting from scratch (although Virginia did have a stint as a singer in a Brisbane punk band).

Both Marcus and Viriginia have agreed to blog about their experiences – warts and all. Learning an instrument can be a pretty rocky ride at times. We hope that people will enjoy reading about their journey and perhaps feel encouraged to take up an instrument themselves.

Follow Marcus and Virginia’s progress on the Pilgrims Progress blog.

We have added some more important information for 2012 Stallholders. If you have been accepted as a stallholder at the 2012 festival please visit the following page:

Additional Information for 2012 Stallholders

We are currently seeking some talented individuals to join our small team of dedicated staff in our Canberra office.

Applications are being accepted for the following positions:

• Administration Officer
• Operations Manager

For further details, and to download the duty statements and selection criteria for these positions, please visit our Positions Vacant page.

The National Folk Festival is asking people to donate balls of wool to be used at the 2012 Festival to decorate and define a space in central park for a Labyrinth. Festival patrons will be able to contribute at the event by weaving, twisting and knitting around the trees that define the Labyrinth space. Wool of any colour and thickness is required and acrylic is fine also. Please post all donations to PO Box 179 Mitchell ACT 2911.

The National Folk Festival (NFF) has put out a call for Australians to rummage through their cupboards and in op shops around the nation to help find three lost masterpieces.

No, not the lost songs of Eric Bogle – but some of the Festival’s famous promotional posters.

A picture can say a thousand words, and the NFF’s posters have been telling Australians about their musical history for the last 45 years.

The Festival Poster has long been a major tool used to promote the annual event. Forty-five years on, the posters provide a fascinating reflection of Australia’s cultural history and the evolution of this iconic event.

In building an archive of materials relating to the history of the Festival, the National Folk Festival has collected 42 of the 45 Festival Posters and is now launching a nation-wide search for the final three posters missing from its collection. The missing three posters are: 1971 Festival in Adelaide; 1974 in Brisbane and 1977 in Adelaide.

NFF Managing Director, Sebastian Flynn said the collection of posters documented the history of the Festival as a touring event and also revealed the growth of the festival over the years.

“In true bardic fashion, the Festival originally travelled around the country and was held in a different state each year,” Sebastian said. “The posters document the history of the Festival and an important aspect of Australian culture through music and dance. We’d like to ensure that there is a complete collection.”

The posters reveal the range of artists and performers who have appeared at the National Folk Festival.

“The posters’ chart the headlining performances over the years from the early songs and dance music of Australia’s early settlers, through to renowned Australian songwriters such as Eric Bogle and contemporary singers like Kavisha Mazella and Canberra’s own Fred Smith, who is documenting the story of the involvement of Australians in overseas conflict,” Sebastian said.

“The posters also remind us of the many overseas performers who have performed at the Festival, including Martin Carthy, Nic Jones, Mike Compton, Riccardo Tesi, Paul Brady and Andy Irvine. Many of these artists have had a big influence on Australian music and musicians. Encouraging international artists to share their skill and experience has been a very strong part of the National Folk Festival’s commitment to incubate new Australian talent.”

By the late 1980’s the National Folk Festival had grown in popularity and complexity, making it difficult for the organising folk federations in the respective states to manage.

In 1992 the Australian Folk Trust took over the Festival’s organisation and made provision for it to take place in Canberra each Easter with a stable management team.   It was decided that the Festival, which takes place at Exhibition Park in Canberra every Easter, would feature a different state each year to reflect the touring tradition of the event. The 2012 featured State is Queensland.

The Festival Poster is still a big part of the NFF’s promotional activity.  The NFF would like to hear from anyone who might have copies of the 1971, 1974 and 1977 festivals. Please contact the National Folk Festival office on 02 6262 4792 or email: info@folkfestival.org.au

The almost-complete Festival Poster archive can be seen at the NFF office in Mitchell.

For more information check the National Folk Festival website and social media pages.

Website: http://www.folkfestival.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/folkfestival

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/natfolkfest

Media Contact | Sophie Morrison | (02) 6273 0232 | 0407 608 441 | sophie.morrison@contentgroup.com.au

Applications to Volunteer at the 2012 National Folk Festival are now open!

Please visit the How To page to find out more.

To read the NFF’s response to the recent Troubadour discussions, please visit our Management page.

EARLY BIRD 1 TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

(until 30 October or until they run out – whichever is sooner – don’t miss out!)

BUY TICKETS

The National FolkFest – Australia’s premier folk festival event – brings another world-class acoustic music line-up & unique participatory events and venues:

• Go back to your Celtic Roots ~ The Enchanted Forest
• Master your Instrument ~ Folk School Instrumental Workshops
• Draw on your Imagination ~ ArtefACT (Community Arts & Tradition Bearers)
• Join the Clowns ~ Street Theatre, Circus & Vaudeville
• Take a Walk on the Wild Side ~ The Folk Fringe Festival
• Get in Tune ~ Instrument Makers
• Connect with your Kids ~ Children’s & Family Festival
• Explore the Music World through Movies ~ Trocadero Film Festival,
• Brew up a Billy of Tea with Stew & Damper ~ The Stockman’s Camp
• Session till Dawn at the world famous ~ Session Bar
• Roll out the Barrel in the ~ Scrumpy Bar
• Take your partner ~ on the vast Fitzroy Dance Floor!
• Impromptu Performance Opportunities ~ The Bohemia Blackboard Bar

Over 20 stages with vibrant world-class artists, craft and delectable food!

Winner ~ 2009 National Qantas Australian Tourism Award ~ Best Festival

VALUE FOR MONEY TICKET OPTIONS

The National Folk Festival still offers the best value for money ~ as the most ‘luxurious’ festival experience anywhere – with major indoor venues – to hear your favourite artists in warmth, comfort and perfect acoustics in all weather.

Like all festivals, the NFF has to meet a range of costs beyond our control. These costs  have increased once again this year.  New costs, arising from new requirements  imposed by the ACT Government, include mandatory provision of Occupational Health and Safety training for volunteers, emergency and safety contingency measures,  new government environmental monitoring requirements, increased road traffic signage and the production of compulsory traffic plans.

We have also had  to meet compliance costs arising from new ACT Government OH&S regulations on all events, for staff, participants and performers. Despite this pressure the festival still largely offers its tickets at less than 75% of the cost of staging the event.

Three Early Bird Periods are now available – to allow more opportunity to purchase in advance at reduced prices:

• Monday Family Tickets are now available to keep the cost down for families;
• Tent City Hire – no increase – still a bargain for comfort!
• Child Tickets bracket has been expanded from 5-12 years to 5-15 years;
• Children Under 5 are still Free;
• Reduced Early Bird Prices for Over 80’s