#TRADSTANDWITHHER

A growing number of young female musicians are risking their livelihoods and forfeiting their anonymity in order to speak out about their personal experiences of sexual abuse, assault, harassment and coercion by men on the folk and traditional music scene, both in Ireland and the U.K.

We acknowledge their honesty, courage, anger and pain, and their right to seek justice.

As a diverse musical community, and industry, we must not respond with silence, or complicity.

We are calling on folk and traditional music organisations, artists, festivals, industry workers, education establishments, music fans and audiences to support a fundamental culture change that ensures women’s safety, equality and dignity.

We need a code of ethics, which protects women in folk and traditional music from sexual harassment and assault, and sends a clear zero tolerance message to male perpetrators.

This is the moment to redress power imbalances, promotes a culture of respect, trust, and equality and create safe, collaborative environments in which all folk and traditional musicians can share and enjoy the music that we love. – Rachel Newton Music

Beauty during pandemic: Rachel Newton’s harp

The Edinburgh-born harpist, fiddle player and singer Rachel Newton was Radio 2’s Musician of the Year in 2017. She sings in both English and Gaelic and is a member of The Shee, The Furrow Collective and the Lost Words Spell Songs. We walked with her on the Isle of Skye in November 2019 where she was taking part in the wonderful Festival of Small Halls, in which top Scottish musicians come together to tour the community halls of the island. So, as well as our walk by the Fairy Pools, where Rachel plays and sings with the water bubbling behind her, you’ll hear extracts from packed gigs in the village hall at Glendale and the Old Inn at Carbost. And there’s even a cameo appearance by our old friend the fiddle player and composer Duncan Chisholm.

Listen to the Folk On Foot podcast

Source: Folk On Foot