Mari Ohta of Asian Soundscapes. Photo by Ed Thanz
By Emma Castleberry
Folkmoot USA was born in 1983, when Waynesville surgeon Dr. Clinton Border accompanied a local square dance team to a folk festival in Sidmouth, England. Upon his return, Border began to champion Waynesville as the perfect location for an international folk festival in the US, and the first Folkmoot USA was held in 1984. “Border was convinced that Western North Carolina, which was already steeped in tradition and dedicated to the preservation of its own heritage, was the perfect location for an international folk festival in the United States,” says interim executive director Alicia Blanton. More than 40 years later, it’s safe to say he was right. “Folkmoot is part of the fabric of Western North Carolina,” Blanton says. “It has been named by the state legislature as North Carolina’s International Folk Festival.”
The festival, Folkmoot USA International Day, takes place every year in July. Folkmoot USA has established year-round programming from its headquarters, the Folkmoot Friendship Center, located in Waynesville’s historic Hazelwood Elementary School. The Friendship Center hosts events in the Queen Auditorium, offers a variety of spaces as venue rental and acts as the home for service organizations and community partners as well as a number of fine art and craft studios. Kayla Nielson operates her boutique pottery studio, Gratitude Pottery, at the center. “I love the historic building and beauty of the local community, but most importantly I love the people at Folkmoot—a blend of artisans and healers all working together in harmony,” says Nielson.
Seema Viswanath. Photo by Ed Thanz
The Folkmoot Friendship Center is a testament to the nonprofit’s growth beyond its annual festival into a pillar of the community. “They are much more than a festival,” says Nielson. “It’s a nonprofit that is bringing a lot of value and depth to the community. Their multicultural programming and year-round events, along with the activities from all of the Folkmoot Studios have made this a buzzing community hive and it’s magical to see the growth of the organization include local artisans, healers, musicians, dancers and more.”
Ken Czarnomski, Blue Ridge Naturalist, cartographer and fine art illustrator, creates his art from a studio in the Friendship Center, where he keeps an open-door policy for visitors. “Unlike my former studio, which was private, Folkmoot provides exposure to the public and other creatives who share a similar passion for the arts,” he says. “This old school building from the 1920s, with high ceilings, wood floors and generous daylighting, encourages me to explore and refine my artistic styles.”
This openness in both physical layout and philosophy is reflective of the nonprofit’s name. “Folkmoot is an Old English word meaning ‘meeting of the people,’” says Czarnomski. “Its totally invitational foundation has been operating as a nonprofit for 40 years, as an asset to WNC because it welcomes people of culturally diverse backgrounds and interests from around the world and celebrates our connection through music, dance, art, health and the spirit of community.”
Clay Sayre, a studio artist at Folkmoot’s Friendship Center, calls Folkmoot a feather in the cap of Waynesville. “This is an incredible place with such an important mission for the community, supporting the arts through community outreach and opportunities,” he says. “It is vital, I think, to preserve that through continued support from the community.”
There are many ways to support Folkmoot through involvement and attendance in September. The month kicks off with a Folkmoot Live! performance by the Black Sea Beat Society, a rock ‘n’ roll group that blends traditional Balkan, Turkish and Middle Eastern music, on Thursday, September 5.
The studios of the Folkmoot Friendship Center are a stop on the Haywood County Arts Council Studio Tour on Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, September 22, from noon to 4 p.m. Also on September 21, the Center celebrates 101 Years of Hazelwood Elementary with opportunities for those who attended or worked at the school to visit and reminisce. Students at SOAR Academy, an adventure-based boarding school for students with learning disabilities that is headquartered in the Friendship Center, will receive tours of the oldest parts of the building. There will be an exhibit about the school’s history by Alex McKay, capturing the stories of the people who taught, learned and worked at Hazelwood Elementary.
On Thursday, September 26, modern abstract artist Nina Howard will partner with cellist Michael Fitzpatrick for Healing Through Color & Sound, a live painting and music performance beginning at 6:30 p.m. Howard’s artwork will be on display in the Queen Auditorium this season, with a percentage of sales contributing to Folkmoot’s multicultural programming, and Fitzpatrick will perform a Folkmoot Live! concert Friday, September 27, at 7 p.m.
“Folkmoot will continue to honor the past while we embrace our next steps for the future,” says Blanton. “We offer unique opportunities to celebrate many cultures, including our own local cultures.”
The Folkmoot Friendship Center is located at 112 Virginia Avenue, Building B, Waynesville. For more information, including a detailed events calendar, visit Folkmoot.org.
