Basswood Folk Arts

Our Vision:

To build a community for learning, sharing and developing the folk arts.

We’ll begin with pop-up events and festivals that provide demonstrations, hands on “try it” events, instructor-led workshops, open crafting times, and social gatherings. Our longterm plan is to open a year-round folk school in a permanent building.

Our events are times for people to expand their skills, try new things, work with artists across the different crafts, and share our love of the arts. Our focus is on the community side of arts and crafting rather than performance or professional display.

What are Folk Arts?

People use the term folk arts in many ways.

Basswood will focus on crafts, music, and dance that

• have roots in historic, cultural practices;
• are still evolving;
• are self-taught, taught by a community member, or through a community group;
• reflect social issues or draw from social traditions.

Crafts are made by hand, often for practical purposes. Dance and music are live events focus on community participation rather than performance.

Folk arts include basketry, spoon carving, ropemaking, quilting, traditional music, printing, felting, papermaking, bookbinding, blacksmithing, woodworking, knitting, spinning, weaving, leatherwork, broom-making, traditional dance, and many other skills.

What will the events be like?

Crafting:  We’ll make things.  Crafters will bring and work on any portable project   People may work in small groups to share techniques or demonstrate skills.  Open times are great opportunities to learn about other crafts or to collaborate with other makers.  Some gatherings may be craft specific.  Instructor led classes and workshops offer a chance to try something new or expand your skills.

Music: We’ll gather to play, sing, or listen.  Some gatherings will be informal play/sing what you know sessions. Others may have a theme such as Celtic pub sing, Canadian fiddle tunes, slow jams, songs from the Bluegrass Fake Book, songs we’ve written.

Dance:  We’ll dance using steps and patterns based on traditional community dances. Dances will have a caller and start with a short optional instruction time before starting the main dance.  The style of dances offered will vary and be shaped by the interests of the dancers.  Examples: cèilidh dance, barn dance, contra dance.  During the dance times, we’ll have a social space set up for visiting and resting. 

Our Mission:

To foster and expand knowledge and practice of traditional and contemporary folk arts by

a. supporting and developing interactive events to raise awareness and participation in local communities;

b. creating spaces and opportunities for community members to meet, share, learn, and practice;

c. creating schools to bring people from diverse regions and traditions together to share and learn;

d. preserving and sharing knowledge of traditional techniques;

e. encouraging contemporary artists to integrate traditional techniques with their contemporary practice;

f. providing opportunities for folk artists to share their work and skills with other artists and with the public.

The organization is organized exclusively for purposes pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Our Values:

Respect and appreciate the diverse cultures and experiences at the heart of folk arts.

Treat ourselves and others with kindness. 

Enjoy the process of learning and developing our skills

Share our love for the arts in a welcoming, optomistic community

Respect and preserve he roots of folk arts as we move forward as artists

Our Role in the Community:

People of all ages and backgrounds connect through folk arts. Our events will encourage people to share a love for learning, to embrace our region’s history, and to learn about cultures and experiences of the larger world. Our festivals and folk school will also introduce our communities and history to people from outside of Central New York.

Inclusivity:

Folk arts cross all cultures and communities.  Our community welcomes all races, ethnicities, faiths, genders, orientations, income levels, ages, and language fluency.