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Films
Heritage Reels: Folk
1 Apr 2026
1:00pm
Quick summary
- Price
- Pay As You Feel (£3/£5/£7)
- Running time
- 2 hours
- Venue
-
- Arts Centre Washington
Additional information
Event description
A special folk-themed Heritage Reels screening to coincide with our Washington Folk Festival.
In Search of the English Folk Song (1997)
Famed filmmaker Ken Russell tours the countryside in search of the roots of the English folk song in this eye-opening documentary. His travels reveal the history of the form, its remnants in modern music and the ways it evolved as it was carried to Ireland and the New World. Performances and interviews with Donovan, Fairport Convention, June Tabor and other artists help illustrate the changing face of English folk music through the centuries.
The film will be followed by a talk from legendary folk singer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist Sandra Kerr.
Northumberland’s Traditional Music
Northumberland’s traditional music and song is very special. Whether we hear the great industrial repertoire of the coal industry and it’s bards, or the lyrical and lilting lullabies and love songs of the hills and moors and the stunning tunes and techniques of it’s indiginous instrument, the Northumbrian Small Pipes – we cannot fail to recognise it all as distinctive and full of character – just like it’s inhabitants.
Sandra Kerr gives a short presentation with recordings of some of the North East’s exceptional performers of it’s music, which will be followed with a brief performance by one of the Newcastle Folk Degree’s many excellent student musicians.
About Sandra Kerr
Sandra has had a long and distinguished career in traditional music. She was tutored by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in their celebrated Critics Group, going on to record and perform world wide. Along with John Faulkner, she wrote the songs and music for the much-loved and award-winning TV series, Bagpuss, and later became a popular and highly regarded lecturer on the Folk Degree in Folk & Traditional Music at Newcastle University.
Heritage Reels
This screening is part of our Heritage Reels programme – a curated programme of talks
alongside archive films and heritage themed documentaries.
Art Centre Washington’s film programme is supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network. Heritage Reels is supported by Yorkshire and North East Film Archive at York St John University.
