The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation is thrilled to support Soundpost in their upcoming Folk Factory Youth Festival, a special event marking the 10th anniversary of their celebrated Folk Factory programme.
Founded in 2011 by Sheffield musician and educator Fay Hield, Soundpost has become a shining example of how music, song and dance can bring people together. The Folk Factory, its youth wing established in 2016, offers young people across Sheffield the chance to explore folk traditions in a fun, inclusive and creative environment. With weekly sessions in music, singing and dance, the programme helps participants build confidence, express themselves, and connect with their heritage through performance and community activity.
The new Folk Factory Youth Festival, planned for summer 2026, will bring these values to life on a citywide stage. The two-day celebration will feature workshops, ceilidhs, dance-outs and performances — all organised and led by young people themselves. A youth steering group will meet regularly to plan the festival, giving participants valuable experience in event management and the chance to shape something truly their own.
Importantly, Soundpost is using this festival as a way to build new bridges across Sheffield’s diverse cultural communities. Collaborating with groups such as SADACCA, Sunrit Culture Group and Welcoming Culture, the project will bring young people from different traditions together to share their music, their dance, and their stories.
Folk Factory Director Nicola Beazley explains that this initiative is about celebrating the breadth of what “folk” means in Sheffield today — challenging the idea that folk music belongs to one group or tradition, and instead showing how it connects everyone through shared creativity and participation.
The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation is proud to support this festival, which embodies Sarah’s belief that music has the power to unite people and change lives. Sheffield has long been known as the capital of folk, and projects like this keep that reputation alive while making space for new voices and traditions to be heard.
To learn more about Soundpost and the Folk Factory, visit soundpost.org.uk.