Exhibition: 'Shared Airs: Our Thriving Folk Musics', 14th June - 25th October 2026

Location: Royal College of Music Museum, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BS

Organiser: Royal College of Music

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Shared Airs: Our Thriving Folk Musics explores the co-creation of musical culture within rich folk music traditions. It interweaves the stories of people and instruments, delving into the diversity of contemporary folk music and dance across these isles. It asks the question, why and how does folk music foster the preservation of culture while continuing to evolve, thrive and resonate today?

Shared Airs explores the spaces that these musics inhabit today and considers how they’re informed by both tradition and current contexts. The exhibition highlights how folk preserves unique national and regional practices whilst also intersecting with and contributing to thriving music scenes in different settings; from sessions and ceilidhs, pubs and performances, to festivals and firesides.

Historical and new instruments provide insights into how preservation and practice interweave. Instruments such as the hardingfele and hurdy-gurdy demonstrate the adoption of historical instruments into flourishing dance practices such as Balfolk. The Northumbrian small-pipes reflect the reinvigoration of music and language, while harps from various regions, including a Welsh small harp, explore folk music and representation. Songbooks and collections from the English Folk Dance and Song Society at Cecil Sharp House demonstrate how musicians use archival material to honour traditions while fostering preservation, reinvigoration and revitalisation.

Co-curated with folk musicians and researchers, this special exhibition demonstrates the importance of folk music, dance and song traditions in connecting communities, both in the physical and digital spheres. It encourages visitors to reflect on and share their own experiences and perspectives, contributing their ideas to develop a visitor co-curated understanding of what folk music is today.

Shared Airs: Our Thriving Folk Musics is free and runs till the 25th October. The RCM Museum is open Tuesday–Friday, 10.15am-5.45pm and Saturday–Sunday, 11am-6pm.