I think it is interesting that one of the principal things that Folk Arts England is doing is developing mainly the people who are promoting and organising folk music and dance, development etc. So, AFO is intended to help festival organisers improve the quality of their events. It is about professionalisation of the organisation of the folk arts (and remember that Steve Heap always says that professionalism is a state of mind, not a state of income).

But ironically, the proposed funding cuts to Folk South West and TAPS (and the liklihood that no further folk development agencies to cover the other regions of England will be set up) immediately cuts out two organisations that benefit from FAE's work (and in turn the trickle down effect from FAE to FSW and TAPS and from them down into their regions.) Of course, TAPS and FSW might continue without ACE money, but they would need other sources of income and programmes would, I expect, be greatly cut.

Derek Schofield