National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: fretless
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 03:25 PM

The gift shop possibilities seem almost endless. For the moment, I'll settle for a t-shirt with the motto "I got my G-string twanged at the National Folk Museum."

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: Cool Beans
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 02:51 PM

What's wrong with folk artist action figures? Now, you want to talk tacky souvenirs, visit Alcatraz. It's now a national park/museum; one of the things they sell in their gift shop is a prison-style tin cup suitable for banging on the bars.

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: GUEST,Stringsinger
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 02:34 PM

This could be done in conjunction with the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.

Frank

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 01:42 PM

" In this incarnation, the museum is defunct. "

I am going to have Ron Cohen on my radio program in the near future to discuss his new book about the history of folk festivals. In corresponding with Ron, he mentioned that the Folk Museum idea is NOT dead. IF they get it off the ground, it will probably have a much different shape than first envisioned, but most projects do evolve.

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: fretless
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 01:14 PM

Too bad it didn't work out. It never sounded entirely realistic, but then there are lots of other niche museums out there based on much stranger concepts that have much smaller followings. It is unfortunate that the wealthy folk musician community didn't step up to the plate on this one...oh yeah, now I get it. Doomed from the start, I suppose.

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New Y
From: Michael S
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 12:54 PM

I know Ron Cohen, the historian and author who, with Art D'Lugoff, was a prime mover of this idea. The couldn't get any traction (meaning money) and abandoned the idea a few years ago. In this incarnation, the museum is defunct.

Michael Scully
Austin, TX

(After my first attempt to post this message, it simply disappeared. I apologize if it shows up here twice, or in some other thread.)

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: fretless
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 12:31 PM

Did anything ever come of this?

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 May 03 - 12:40 PM

Ron-

Don't forget that Cecil Sharp House also includes an open bar at their monthly (or was it weekly?) music swaps.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: GUEST,Ron Olesko
Date: 27 May 03 - 10:45 AM

Russ- both professionals and original sources will be covered - this based on information that I heard at the meeting.

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: fretless
Date: 27 May 03 - 10:39 AM

Plans for the museum were first reported by Ben Sisario in the NY Times on 13 June 2000. Art D'Lugoff, owner of the Village Gate during the folk boom of the 60s, was at that time the prime mover in this endeavor. In 2000, the Times said the name was to be the Folk Music Museum in Greenwich Village. A benefit concert was scheduled for the night after the article appeared, a board had been recruited, and some general goals set for the museum, which according to the Times was going to focus on the folk music revival era of the 50s and 60s.

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 27 May 03 - 09:56 AM

Has anybody mentioned whether the emphasis will be on the professionals who made the recordings that made the money or their sources?

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: GUEST,Ron Olesko
Date: 27 May 03 - 09:26 AM

I attended a meeting about the museum at the Folk Alliance. Charley's mention of Cecil Sharp House is very close. The purpose is more than just a museum. The intent is to provide a center for research, classroom and performance. The museum, which is putting the stress on the word "National", will house archives and collections that will be accessible for research. They hope to provide classroom space (along the lines of Old Town School) and also provide a performance space. They have looked at a couple of sites and as of this past Februrary they were looking at a space near Cooper Union.

They chose New York for several reasons, one being the connection with various folk revivals.   The access to media and services is another.


Ron

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 May 03 - 08:23 AM

At some modest level this could work, the equivalent of London's Cecil Sharp House. The Jefferson County Court House/Library would be my favorite candidate for a location. Just spare me the "souvenirs" - got no room for folk artist action figures.

Another possible site would be "The Almanac House" if the building is still in existence. My dear uncle and aunt used to join in the rent parties there in the early 1940's.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum (Greenwich Village, New York)
From: InOBU
Date: 27 May 03 - 08:06 AM

Instead of a museum, it would be nice to have a folk scene comensurate with the huge number of people in New York. The fact that more folks in Hull are on Mudcat than New York speaking about gigs, shows the bleak outlook here. Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 May 03 - 11:20 PM

Sounds interesting!

Subject: RE: National Folk Museum
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 26 May 03 - 11:17 PM

Why?

Subject: National Folk Museum
From: JJ
Date: 26 May 03 - 10:31 PM

Does anyone know anything about this? First I heard was this brief mention in today's Times:

A free concert at 3 p.m. today in Washington Square Park will mark the first official event of the National Folk Museum in Greenwich Village. Its board, including Judy Collins, Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie, is seeking space for a home in Lower Manhattan. During today's festivities, with Oscar Brand as host, the performers will include members of the cast of "Dream a Little Dream," a new musical based on the lives of the Mamas and the Papas; an original Papa, Danny Doherty; Harold Seletsky and the West End Klezmer Group; and Odetta, who will receive a lifetime achievement award.