"And certainly one that far outstrips any possible value in tarting up the gardens of C# house - but I guess that's an issue to be taken up with those individuals who decide what projects are worth funding with public money."

Indeed. At a presentation last week at the House of Commons about the new research (by Trish Winter and Simon Keegan-Phipps of the University of Sunderland) into folk music and representations of Englishness, I took the opportunity, given the nature of the event, to ask some questions of MPs from the All-Party Folk Committee about putting folk traditions more at the heart of England's cultural life and identity. I mentioned the fact that Ireland and Scotland value their folk heritage far more highly, but it has taken their own revivals and substantial government investment to make this happen. The response was a load of waffle from MPs who are afraid to have this conversation, because they are afraid to talk about what being English might mean in the context of a multi-cultural society. I made it clear that I myself am an immigrant and therefore not approaching this subject from a right-wing nationalist perspective, but it became immediately clear that issues of Englishness, identity and heritage, and the place of folk in that dialogue, was something to be skirted around rather than explored.

While this is the case, I cannot see any public funder acknowledging how important these archives are, and what a fundamental place they have in the heritage of this country. And things that are not valued rarely receive large-scale public funding.

EFDSS recently attained RFO status from the Arts Council - but the agenda for delivery is very much dictated by the Arts Council itself, and is led by a set of pre-ordained priorities for activity. Moreover, the level of funding is paltry when compared to similar organisations in Ireland or Scotland. EFDSS may be finally on the ladder, but in terms of gaining real recognition and a status that is appropriate to the treasures that the Society conserves and wishes very much to disseminate, there is a long way to go.


With regard to "tarting up the gardens", a substantial amount of the funding was used for disabled access provision, as Diane says.