The Folklore Society

YOUR VOTE NEEDED!

English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) would like your support on two campaigns, firstly to lobby your local MP to support dance activities and secondly to lobby the BBC to improve its folk arts coverage. So please read the details below and make your voice heard.

Dance Vote 2010

EFDSS is backing DanceVote 2010, www.dancevote2010.com, the national advocacy campaign to put dance on the agenda of local political candidates. We are emailing you because we think you might be interested in getting involved too.

With the general election looming - presenting a potential change of government and a very real threat to arts and dance funding - it is vital that we work together now to raise the profile of dance with MPs and new potential candidates in the run up to the election. It will take just 2 minutes of your time to visit DanceVote 2010's website - click here to send a personalised email to your local political candidates standing to be elected as your MP explaining why you are passionate about dance, and asking them to pledge their support for dance and the arts.

Why it is crucial we talk to politicians now?

The current economic climate means that getting dance recognised and connected to politicians, in a local context, is more vital than ever. The Department of Culture Media and Sport has already had £60 million cut from its budget recently, which represents 4% of DCMS total spend. With difficult spending decisions ahead, we need politicians to understand that dance is something local voters care about, and that investing in dance provides value for money and benefits to local people. If spending cuts are being made, we don't want dance activity to be the easiest thing to cut because politicians don't know about local dance activity and how it improves the quality of the lives of thousands of voters.

DanceVote 2010 has five aims:

To connect every politician standing for election to parliament with a dance activity in their local area
To highlight the popularity of dance among constituents and the benefits to residents
To underline the need for sustained public funding in order to build on (and not undermine) the progress achieved over the past few years
To champion the value of dance as an art form, as well as in health and education
To secure a statement on how candidates will support dance and the arts if they are elected

DanceVote 2010 champions all dance, both professional and participatory. It is co-ordinated by Dance UK, working in partnership with a steering committee of leading dance professionals including EFDSS representing diverse backgrounds.
Dance Vote 2010 website

Folk on the Airwaves

The BBC is currently undertaking a Strategy Review Consultation, looking at its broadcasting output. Having received the Director General's recommendations, that include the well publicised closure of BBC 6 Music and BBC Asian Network, the BBC Trust wish to hear the views of the public. This is an ideal opportunity to make our voice heard.

Folk music is immensely under-represented in the BBC schedules, but the advent of digital radio is a great opportunity for them to fulfil their public service remit by providing niche market programming. Folk programming on the BBC is also an invaluable platform for folk artists at all stages of their career, but is especially useful for young artists or those just starting out. The folk industry has been identified* as one in which career progression is particularly difficult for young musicians, and the lack of a substantial national profile is part of that.

Folk music should be an essential part of the BBC's programming, and you can help us with our campaign to make that a reality - just add your name to our online petition before 20 May, and circulate the link to your friends and family. You can also complete a more detailed questionnaire on the BBC's website. Please help us show the BBC how passionate and active fans of folk music are.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact marketing@efdss.org.

Best wishes,
Katy Spicer
EFDSS Chief Executive