The European Folk Network conference in Kaustinen on 24-25 September is expected to bring together dozens of folk music and folk dance promoters, organizers and other actors from the most important European organisations in the field. The conference is the fifth in a row and the first in the Nordic countries.
The theme of the two-day conference will be safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. The conference will feature presentations, workshops and panel discussions on topics such as music education, media and branding, the state of traditional dances in Europe and the Sustainable Development Goals campaign. Presenters and panelists come from Sweden, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, Hungary and other countries.
In the music programme, guests can get to know Finnish folk music with performances by Näppärit Music group, Ottoset Dance group, Tallari, Teho., Nordic Music Prize winner Maija Kauhanen and the young duo Iikka Huntus and Erkki Virkkala from Kaustinen.
"Kaustinen is the hub of Finnish traditions and a great source of inspiration for the entire pan-European network, the perfect place to meet and discuss intangible cultural heritage in all its dimensions," says Nod Knowles, Administrator of the European Folk Network.
The European Folk Network is a growing network of folk music, folk dance and storytelling practitioners, established in 2019. It brings together a large number of the key folk music players in Europe, with more than 160 organisational and personal members from around 25 countries. From Finland, 7 organisations are members. The aims of the network include increasing cooperation, raising visibility and awareness of the sector and its resources, raising awareness of traditions, and increasing cultural diversity and mutual respect. In 2023, the EFN successfully organised the first pan-European folk music day, the European Folk Day. The next European Folk Day will take place on the eve of the conference on 23 September.
"Interest in Finnish folk music and folk dance is clearly on the rise, and bringing the conference to Finland is good evidence of this. Hopefully, the event will bring visibility, gigs and cooperation projects to our field on a broad front," says Anne-Mari Hakamäki, Programme Director of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.
The conference is organised by Pro Kaustinen ry, the organiser of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, and the European Folk Network in cooperation with the Folk Music Institute. The event is supported by the Central Ostrobothnia Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit the European Folk Network website.
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The Ottoset dance group from Kaustinen at the 2024 festival. Photo: Krista Järvelä