Ffern Folk Foundation
Supporting the new generation of British Folk Arts and Traditions
The Ffern Folk Foundation envisions a future in which folk is a thriving, diverse and widely enjoyed part of contemporary British life.
Our mission is to illuminate British Folk and support its practitioners. The central pillar of the Foundation is our annual grant of £50,000, which will fund one or more practitioners to progress their work and bring it to a wider audience. Applications for the 2026 grant are open now.
The Ffern Folk Foundation emblem, illuminated by Lukas the Illustrator
At Ffern, we have always sought to connect people with nature. We’re thrilled to launch our Folk Foundation within this quest – believing that folk arts and traditions can help us all explore and enrich our relationship with the environment.
Ffern Folk Foundation
Supporting the new generation of British Folk Arts and Traditions
The Ffern Folk Foundation emblem, illuminated by Lukas the Illustrator
The Ffern Folk Foundation envisions a future in which folk is a thriving, diverse and widely enjoyed part of contemporary British life.
Our mission is to illuminate British Folk and support its practitioners. The central pillar of the Foundation is our annual grant of £50,000, which will fund one or more practitioners to progress their work and bring it to a wider audience. Applications for the 2026 grant are open now.
At Ffern, we have always sought to connect people with nature. We’re thrilled to launch our Folk Foundation within this quest – believing that folk arts and traditions can help us all explore and enrich our relationship with the environment.
British Folk Arts and Traditions play a central role in our cultural landscape. However, despite a renewed sense of momentum within the movement, opportunities to participate are often limited to small pockets of society.
We see a future where that could be different. In a time of ecological crisis and social dislocation, we believe that Britain’s Folk Arts and Traditions are fundamental to the strengthening of our bonds with the environment and each other.
Through our advocacy, we aim to grow and connect folk communities across the country. In turn, we hope that this will give more people the chance to get involved in this dynamic cultural space.
We believe British Folk Arts and Traditions are not static or dormant. Our focus is on supporting those who are engaging with British Folk in new and vibrant ways. While we are open to working with a wide range of practitioners, we will use the following constellations to plot our course.
Storytelling
oral histories, sound, song
Ritual
ceremony, dance, performance art
Gathering
rambling, community, seasonality
Folk Traditions have always been reinvented to reflect the societies we live in; they are not trapped in amber.
We believe that the rituals and stories of the past can be woven into our future in positive and inclusive ways. We do not accept, and actively seek to challenge, the use of British Folk Traditions as a means of supporting nationalist and racially charged agendas.
We hope that through the illumination of Britain’s Folk Traditions, we can foster a holistic engagement with the past, as well as an exciting vision of a communal, more magical future.
The Ffern Folk Foundation is guided by a Guild of five leading voices who are driving British Folk forward today. As established practitioners and commentators in their own right, they will lead the application review and decision-making process for our yearly Ffern Folk Foundation Grant.
Zakia is a DJ, producer and writer whose groundbreaking radio documentary My Albion (2020) explored the songs, stories and symbols of British Folk Culture. Her forthcoming book, Finding Albion (2026), continues her search for stories that can help us imagine a more inclusive national identity.
Charlie is an actor and writer best known for his BAFTA-winning turn in This Country. Pursuing his enduring affection for the people and folklore of the British countryside, Charlie is now presenting Charlie Cooper’s Myth Country (2024), a documentary series exploring the stranger side of British Folk.
Sam creates spellbinding reimaginings of traditional songs, with four critically acclaimed albums to his name. As a song collector he’s preserved music and tales from Gypsy Traveller communities across Britain and Ireland. Sam also devotes his energy to environmental activism and is the author of The Nightingale (2021).
Alex is an illustrator and founding member of Boss Morris who will bring her experience as recipient of a Folk Foundation Grant to the Guild. With Boss, Alex has made a lasting contribution to the modernisation of Morris. As an illustrator, Alex creates folk-inflected work for Gucci, Harper’s Bazaar and Sam Lee, among others.
Ben’s art blends forensic depictions of folk traditions with personal narrative and touches of magical realism. His book Folklore Rising (2024) follows his film Frontline Folklore (2021) in documenting folk traditions around the UK. His exhibition, Children of Albion, will open at Fitzrovia Chapel in November 2025.
We are delighted to announce that the Ffern Folk Foundation Grant 2025 has been awarded to the Cotswolds Morris Dancing side, Boss Morris.
Founded in 2015, Boss Morris has quickly become a prominent feature in the British Folk landscape. Showcasing a fusion of traditional and contemporary styles, Boss Morris has played a key role in reviving interest in this historic art form.
With the support of the Ffern Folk Foundation, Boss Morris will expand their outstanding work across multiple initiatives. These range from creating a digital portfolio of educational materials, to curating an ambitious and exciting programme of new performances.
To apply for the Ffern Folk Foundation Grant 2026, visit the application portal. The deadline for applications is 18:00 BST on 19th of September 2025. For more information on the application process, please refer to our FAQs.
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Boss Morris photographed by Hollie Fernando. Charlie Cooper photographed by Roger Keller, courtesy of FremantleMedia Ltd & Naked West. Additional images from The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, courtesy of English Folk Dance and Song Society.