Introducing...
The Ffern Folk Foundation and Grant
Today I have a very exciting announcement to share with you; the Ffern Folk Foundation and Grant. A fantastic new initiative from Ffern that will celebrate and shine new light on folk arts in the 21st century. Read on to hear more…
The Ffern Folk Foundation Logo by Lukas Palumbo
I have long been a fan of the work of Ffern, their campaigns are exceptionally beautiful but also, very importantly, genuinely embedded in communities - have a look at this brilliant film they made a few years ago about rhubarb growers in Wakefield and Leeds, and of Featherstone Male Voice Choir singing, a frankly delicious, song about rhubarb.
It comes then as no surprise that they are once again striving to create something fresh and very exciting, this time for the world of British Folk. Ffern have selected 5 leading voices in British Folk to form a Guild, they are: Charlie Cooper, Ben Edge, Sam Lee, Alex Merry, and Zakia Sewell. The Guild will work alongside Ffern in guiding the Ffern Folk Foundation and its aims for the coming years.
So, what are their aims? Well, The Ffern Folk Foundation looks to keep the story of folk alive for the present. Folk, as we well know, is not something inert and static but something that is living, breathing and always growing. It is a force that can be used to bring attention to problems we face in the present in a way which is hopeful and solution led:
“We see a future for British Folk as a thriving, diverse, and widely appreciated part of modern life. Moreover, in a time of ecological crisis and social dislocation, we believe that Britain’s Folk Arts and Traditions are fundamental to the deepening of our bonds with the environment and each other.” Ffern Folk Foundation
The foundation will not only host Ffern’s own creative projects but will also offer up to £50,000 a year to people making exceptional work in the field of folk. Each year this will either be awarded as £50,000 to one person or collective or as a series of smaller grants of to multiple practitioners. The aim being that the grant is used to fund a project designed to help progress their work and bring it to wider audiences. A rare and beautiful opportunity to see folks arts, and the people working in this area celebrated.
Boss Morris, photographed by Hollie Fernando
The grant for 2025 has been awarded to the magnificent Boss Morris. With the support of the Ffern Folk Foundation, Boss Morris will look to expand their outstanding work across multiple initiatives. These range from creating a portfolio of educational materials, to curating an ambitious and exciting programme of new performances. I for one, cannot wait to see what comes out of this year!
So who will be the grant winner of 2026? Could it be you?
You can apply now for the Ffern Folk Foundation Grant 2026, by following this link to their Application Portal.
The application deadline is 18:00 on Friday the 19th of September 2025. For more information on the application process, please refer to the Ffern Folk Foundation FAQs.