Quoting from another thread:
"In England there isn't even the desire for a sense of national identity which makes the Scots, Irish and Welsh at least recognise and acknowledge their traditional music even if they don't choose to listen to it for pleasure. The English have ignored their own traditional music heritage, and are embarrassed by it when it comes to their attention."
Would EFDSS's proposed name change help or hinder?

That was in the context of attitudes towards folk music. The majority of English people have forgotten their folk traditions, and unlike the other nations of these islands don't feel these form part of their cultural identity or that they need to be maintained for that reason. The proposed name change will neither help nor hinder this, since for the majority it is a complete irrelevance. Most people neither know nor care that EFDSS even exists and have no interest in anything it does. Calling it "Folk Arts" won't change that.

So who should it matter to? The EFDSS's justification is that this is to include those of other backgrounds who, although born and brought up here, don't feel themselves to be English. However it has offered no evidence that they would feel any differently about English folk music if the name of the organisation were changed. It feels as if it is being done simply to tick a 'diversity' box.

Secondly there are the funding bodies and other arts organisations EFDSS works with. The EFDSS hasn't mentioned them so we don't know their points of view. It is very possible that they will want to see the diversity box ticked, whether or not this actually achieves anything. This might actually be the best reason for a name change, if it would help to secure future funding, but it is not one the EFDSS has put forward.

Thirdly there are all those involved in folk music who the EFDSS claims to represent, although it is difficult to see on what authority they can do this, given the tiny membership. I suspect that many of them see "English" as actually being quite important, but I guess the consultation will show if this is the case.

There's still no sign of the EFDSS engaging in any debate, despite the number of comments on its own Facebook page, for example.