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Fund’s latest grants help keep folk traditions alive 

A fund which aims to increase participation and involvement in folk-art traditions across the North East, has made its latest set of grants to four local organisations.  

The North East Endowment for Musical Traditions Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland was set up in 2017 by Alistair Anderson, renowned English Concertina player, along with his wife Liz and Alan and Liz Lyddiatt. The fund supports folk art traditions including music, dance and other art forms, with an emphasis on engaging the next generation of participants, performers and audiences. 

Jo Cundall, Senior Advisor, Culture at the Community Foundation said: 

“We are fortunate to have a fund like The North East Endowment for Musical Traditions Fund which actively supports, encourages and engages with such important cultural traditions across our region. It ensures that these traditions are passed onto the next generations, which is a crucial part of our preserving our cultural heritage. 

Alistair Anderson was delighted to see the most recent awards made: 

“We set up North East Endowment for Musical Traditions because we want to enable the next generation of musicians, singers and dancers to engage directly with the musical traditions of this region and beyond.

“We are delighted to have made these four awards giving children and young people across our region exciting experiences led by first class professional artists. We look forward to seeing, and hearing, what comes out of these four distinct and exciting projects.” 

The four grants illustrate the breadth of the projects supported. Saltburn Folk Festival received £3,000 to deliver 12 sessions led by a professional folk musician and educator to 25 young musicians, culminating in performances at the 2025 festival. 

Nigel Carden, Operations Director and Company Secretary at Saltburn Folk Festival explained how the grant can help them connect with a new audience: 

“We are always looking for ways to reach new audiences and to involve young people in making music. The Performing Arts Teacher at Outwood Academy Bydales was keen to work with us, so it’s brilliant to have support for folk-related enrichment sessions that will introduce their students to the music we love.” 

Other grants went to the Music Partnership North Charity to deliver a one-day workshop on traditional music to 70 young people in towns in Northumberland with typically low arts engagement. Dance North were awarded £2963 towards a project to engage children from Stanley, County Durham with Northumbrian clog dancing and folk music. Finally, Green Croft Arts received £2,030 for a 3-day summer school for young people offering a carousel of traditional Northumbrian dance and music workshops.