ABOUT
The National Folk Festival is a longstanding, family friendly celebration of the diversity of folk culture from across Australia. It is held every year over the Easter long weekend in Canberra, on Ngunnawal country.
FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
Nestled on Ngunnawal land, the National Folk Festival is an annual gathering of the Australian Folk community and has been running for over 55 years. The Festival fosters a space where traditions are cherished and nurtured, where people perform, share and develop folk traditions. It serves an evolving community that values participation, learning, listening and creating. The diversity of folk traditions in Australia are showcased, including First Nations culture and traditions, and traditions brought through colonisation and ongoing migration.
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Each year you can discover unique artists including musicians, dancers, poets, circus performers, visual artists and community facilitators who come together to celebrate our rich folk cultures. Alongside concerts and dance events, there are an array of interactive workshops and ensembles you can participate in, plus vibrant jam sessions. Come away enriched, with new skills, and having created transformative experiences together with your fellow folks.
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FESTIVAL ETHOS
EMPOWERING AUDIENCES, ARTISTS, AND COMMUNITIES TO CELEBRATE AND CREATE TOGETHER
EXCELLENCE
Showcasing the highest quality in performances, workshops, and community engagements.
INCLUSION
Creating a space where all artists and audiences feel welcome, celebrating a diversity of cultures, backgrounds and stories.
INTEGRATION
Giving opportunity for collaboration between artists and audiences, where anyone can engage, contribute, and co-create.
SUSTAINABILITY
Nurturing a sustainable cultural landscape where folk traditions thrive, evolve, and inspire future generations.
EXCELLENCE
From well-known acts to local community groups, the Festival brings together artists and facilitators from across Australia and abroad who are passionate exponents of their particular cultural niche.
Tradition bearers share songs, tunes and poems, passing on folk knowledge through aural transmission. Observant songwriters reflect ourselves back and offer insights into societal issues and hope for humanity. Dancers lead you through traditional sequences and get your feet moving. Gifted teachers share skills and knowledge through workshops and informal sessions. People come together creating street performances and unexpected diversions that provide excellent entertainment and light-hearted relief to rejuvinate you over the long weekend.
INCLUSION
The Festival has a long history of being a safe and inclusive place for people from all walks of life. This continues to be a focal point so that anyone feels welcome to come along and find their place amongst the Folk family.
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From a programming perspective, the Festival aims to represent the diversity seen in our applications and to engage with groups facing barriers to this process. Additionally, providing time and space in the program to celebrate Folks of all sorts is a priority.
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From a logistical perspective, the Festival site and camping areas are accessible and family friendly, plus there is a dedicated team to assist Festival goers with any specific needs. Recognising invisible needs is also a priority, with a low-sensory space provided to counteract potential Festival overwhelm for artists and audiences alike. ​​
INTEGRATION
Forging genuine connections between artists and audiences, and facilitating participation opportunities are integral to the unique character of the Festival, supported by an array of uniquely curated venues, each offering its own flavour and experience. From big gigs through to intimate encounters with artists, the program offers a diverse range of activities, including family events, dances, spoken word recitations, workshops and forums. Festival goers can have their moment in the spotlight too by joining in large ensembles like the Festival Choir or Festival Strings or signing up for a blackboard concert.
The Session Bar is a renowned meeting place and much-loved space where musicians congregate to jam throughout the day and night. Throughout the Festival grounds, expect the unexpected, with spontaneous antics and unique street performances contributing to the Festival’s vibrant and dynamic atmosphere, whilst you browse artisan stalls and indulge in the delicious offerings of our carefully chosen vendors.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Festival resembles a tree, with its roots firmly set in the Folk traditions, cultures and histories of Australia. The Festival is a celebration of the strength of the trunk in the present, whilst protecting new growth for the future under the safety of its mighty branches.
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Fostering community and collaboration where individuals become part of something bigger than themselves is part of the ongoing strength of the Festival and the Folk community of Australia more broadly. The Festival is a multigenerational gathering place with space for younger folks to learn and grow, alongside listening to and celebrating the wisdom of the ages.
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The Festival Team collaborates with other Folk organisations and festivals to support the Folk scene in Australia. We strongly believe that music, dance and spoken word should be an organic part of life, and encourage active participation in your local Folk community to enjoy a richer, more expressive and connected life.
FESTIVAL TEAM
Festival Director - Anne Denzer
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Volunteer and Business Administration - Demelza Crook
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Artistic Directors - Michael Sollis, Holly Downes and Chris Stone
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FESTIVAL BOARD MEMBERS (VOLUNTEERS)
President - David Gilks
Appointed to the Board: October 2018. LLB (ANU), BEc (ANU) David is a manager with experience in strategic policy and operational delivery roles both in Australia and overseas. He is a folk musician, dancer and dance caller. He has participated in the Festival as a patron, volunteer and performer and was the Festival's Ticket Office Area Coordinator for four festivals (2009-12).
Vice President - Emma Cottam
Emma is a primary school teacher and student hot air balloon pilot who moved to Canberra in 2020 from Western Australia. She has been attending folk festivals for many years and brings with her a network of connections from Australia and overseas as well as a deep love and connection to music of all kinds. Emma has a storied history with FolkWorld Inc., the organisation that delivers the Fairbridge Festival. Starting as a volunteer, across her time at the festival Emma ran social media, developed community art projects for children with the local First Nation group the Binjarep people, and was eventually the youngest board member in the organisation's history. After six years as a board member, she is ready for a new challenge at The National Folk Festival.
Director – Dr Iain G Johnston
Appointed to the Board: October 2020. BA (Monash), MLA (ANU) Phd (ANU) lain has been performing and participating in folk music since his youth. Additional to his own musical practice with blues band, Electric Tommy Johnston, lain became one of the founding members of the Canberra Shanty Club in 2017, a group born out of the NFF singing sessions. The Shanty Club organise inclusive singing sessions and performances around Canberra and at festivals across Australia, fueled by lain's passion for accessible and participatory folk traditions. In his professional life, lain is a senior researcher at AIATSIS where he undertakes collaborative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to repatriate significant cultural heritage material from overseas collecting institutions. lain brings with him a good network of connections across Australia and is keen to work with the NFF to help build new relationships in the broader community.
Director – Chris Harris-Pascal
Appointed to the Board: October 2020. Chris is a musician whose long connection to the National has been the seed of his many musical endeavors. His bands, Lazy Harry's, Scroggin, and Zackerbilks have performed at festivals across Australia and his passion for the shared knowledge and traditions of folk music has made him a staple in Canberra's session community. In his professional life, Chris balances his career as a hydrogeologist working on water management issues in Australia and overseas, and was Secretary of the International Association of hydrogeologists, ACT branch from 2017-2019. Chris has been attending the National Folk Festival for 30 years, first as a child doing arts and crafts in the kids' festival, later as a volunteerjuggling mugs, and in recent years as a performer. Chris is passionate about working with the festival to continue balancing tradition with innovation, and to ensure a continued emphasis on community, learning.
Director – John Nicholls
Appointed to the Board: October 2022. John has been involved with festivals and events for over 15 years and has been volunteering with the venue management team at the NFF since 2005. Previous experience also includes Floriade, the Multicultural festival, Reconciliation Day, and other Canberra based events. John is the ICT Director at the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and manages the strategic direction and operational delivery for IT services. John has extensive experience in corporate governance as a Director for the Australian Higher Education Associations Pty Ltd Board and as a business owner at Can Speak Canberra Speech Pathology.
Director – Dan Watters
Dan has several decades of experience in event management including as the Founder & Director of the Corinbank music & arts festival and the Community Engagement manager for the Centenary of Canberra celebrations. Dan's passion for the environment has resulted in him becoming a Sustainable Event Alliance accredited professional, securing an Australian-first carbon neutral certification for Capital Brewing Co, and winning multiple local and national sustainability awards whilst at the helm of Corinbank. He is a former volunteer and regular attendee of the NFF.
Director – Virginia Cook
Appointed to the Board: October 2020. Virginia is a long time communications professional in Canberra having worked as a journalist (AAP in the Press Gallery, The Canberra Times and local ABC as a radio producer and sometime broadcaster) and for the past 24 years in the public sector, including leading strategic communications for Australia's G20 presidency in 2014. She was most recently a member of the Senior Executive Service in the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, where she has acted a number of times as Chief Operating Officer. She has sat on a number of boards in Canberra, and is currently vice president of Canberra Rep. Virginia has been attending the "Folkie" since it first moved to EPIC, turning many family members and friends into equally devoted fans of the event. She is passionate about the folk festival's ability to strengthen community, foster talent and tell important stories. She is very slowly learning to play the fiddle.
Director – Roy Volmari
Appointed to the Board: July 2024. Roy is a seasoned finance professional providing financial services to the private and public sectors for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2021. During his working career, Roy has been a Director and Company Secretary for numerous mid-sized companies, and has extensive experience in corporate governance, financial management, HR, and IT. Roy has had past experience in the delivery of events such as horticulture field days, and art shows. Roy has a love for music of all kinds and is looking forward to contributing to the success of The National Folk Festival.
Director – Hannah Pelka-Caven
Appointed to the Board: December 2024. B.Mus (UniMelb), Dip.Lang (UniMelb), J.D (UniMelb) Hannah is an experienced employment and industrial relations lawyer, and has advised and represented workers and employers in the Australian cultural arts and live performance sector for many years. Hannah is also an award-winning folk singer and composer, who has performed at folk festivals (including at the National Folk Festival) for over a decade, with her band The Raglins. After attending her first Nash as part of the Folk Alliance Youth Awards, she fell in love with the festival and is keen to ensure that the festival thrives. Hannah also serves on two other arts boards - Happy Haps Productions and Music Theatre Workshop.
Director – Zev Aviv
Appointed to the Board: December 2024. Zev Aviv is a personal trainer, interdisciplinary artist, history tour guide and podcaster. They grew up at the National Folk Festival and have been attending for around 35 years where they have been a festival MC, producer and forklift driver. As well as having board experience in the arts, they have produced events, managed artists and stayed up to see the sunrise in the session bar on multiple occasions. They are deeply committed to the festival, its teams and its patrons