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CBC
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Money problems forcing N.L. Folks Arts Society, annual festival to likely shutter
Due to financial strain, the upcoming Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival will likely be the last, says board president Julie Vogt. (Mark Cumby/CBC) After nearly 50 years of highlighting the arts, along with traditional and folk music, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival could be taking its final bow — along with the folk arts society that runs it. Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society board president Julie Vogt told CBC News financial constraints continue to hamper the effort this summer, and it's looking likely that year's festival will be the final one, and the society itself will also shutter. "I encourage everyone to allow us to go out with grace, get your tickets for this last folk festival. Remember all the wonderful feels that you've ever had and come celebrate with us because that's what it's going to be — a celebration," she told CBC News on Monday. The tipping point was missing out on a multi-year ArtsNL grant that the society had hoped to land to sustain its operation. In an email to members on Friday, Vogt wrote the new board found it highly unlikely it could raise an additional $75,000 to fill the gap left behind from the ArtsNL money. The board also assessed an "extremely low" probability that ticket sales for this year's festival would meet even a "modest budget." But this summer's event will go ahead as planned, running from July 11 to July 13 in Bannerman Park in downtown St. John's. Vogt said the society had a $140,000 fundraising goal, and landed just $8,000 short. "We were that close," she said. The festival itself costs about $192,000 to pull off. That's before a ticket is sold or performers are paid. The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society could likely shut down after this year's festival. (Submitted by Alick Tsui) Vogt said she's disappointed the festival couldn't reach its 50th year, and big plans were in the making. "It's gut-wrenching, but we are going to give you the best folk festival we can with the small number of people that we have to do it," she said. Vogt also offered reassurance that performers scheduled to perform will be paid and the festival will be the same festival people are familiar with. As for the future, Vogt said there would need to be a miracle to keep the society and festival going, such as an angel investor and support from the public. While small donations are welcomed, she encouraged people to buy tickets for this year's event, too. It's not the first time the society and its festival have been on shaky ground. In January, then-president Deborah Coombs announced temporary layoffs of five staffers due to rising costs having an impact on the bottom line. Members of the Salt Beef Junkies are hoping enough people buy tickets to keep the festival alive. (CBC) Then, Vogt revealed in March, the festival was in danger of closing due to heavy financial strain, as the 2024 event left the society with over $100,000 in debt . In response, the society appealed to the public to help raise funds, and launched a "Save our Festival" campaign. In April Vogt said $23,000 was raised, the 2025 event would go ahead and they were pursuing more corporate sponsorships. Youth programming impacted The society also has youth programs that support young people interested in traditional music. Those include members of the musical trio the Salt Beef Junkies, who learned to play from older mentors through the society's Young Folk at the Hall program. "That's the sad part about this news, about today, is that well, it's been our childhood," Ty Simms told CBC News on Monday. "That's how a lot of young musicians get their first big gig in Newfoundland." The trio is opening up the festival on the main stage this year, and are hoping they can draw enough people to keep the society alive. "Hopefully more funding does come, because the Folk Festival is probably one of the best festivals in the province," said accordion player Luke Mercer. Simms said the festival helps keep young people interested in Newfoundland music. "If you have kids, if you have even teenagers, who are looking into new music or even just want to come hear in Newfoundland music … go support the Newfoundland Folk Festival." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page
CBC
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Looming fate of troubled N.L. Folk Festival is 'disappointing,' says tourism minister
As the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival faces what could be its last season, the province's tourism minister says he's willing to work with organizers to see if there is a way forward to save it. Last week, Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society board president Julie Vogt said financial constraints and missed core funding meant it was likely this year's festival would be the last, and the society itself would also shutter. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday at Bannerman Park in St. John's. Tourism Minister Fred Hutton called the situation "disappointing." "At the end of the day, while it is a, you know, sort of a staple, if you will, in the music industry in the province and has been for 49 years … we were dealing with tax dollars here," Hutton told CBC Radio's Weekend AM. "I've told others we're willing to work with them to see if we can get through this." Prior to taking over his current portfolio, he said the Crown corporation Celebrate N.L., which is overseen by the tourism department, gave the Folk Arts Society $100,000 so the festival could go ahead. Since 2022, he said, the department has given the Folk Arts Society approximately $475,000. Hutton said he's meeting with the society and ArtsNL sometime this week to discuss the problem "to try to find a path forward." "We don't want to see this go away. We want to work with them to see if there's some solution to save it and to keep this, you know, this almost 50-year-old event going," he said. Hutton said the province has many festivals and groups who request funding from the government, adding it was similar to his previous post as minister of transportation and infrastructure. "We would need trillions of dollars to do everything that would be asked for. And maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but [it's] a lot more than we actually have to allocate each year," he said. "We operate within a certain amount of money and we got to make sure that what we're spending is in the best interest of the taxpayers who are footing the bill." Hutton said he needs to see a more "viable" structure in place at the Folk Arts Society, and that Vogt has said the society doesn't have that in place at the moment.
CBC
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
The Folk Arts Society and its festival are in 'severe danger' of shutting down due to shaky finances
A pillar of Newfoundland and Labrador's musical landscape is at risk of collapsing. The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society launched a "Save our Festival" campaign Thursday, appealing to corporations and the public for donations to help keep it and its annual folk festival running. "We are in danger, in severe danger of closing not just the folk festival, but the Folk Art Society as a whole. And nobody wants that," former executive director and current board president Julie Vogt told CBC News on Thursday. The festival, which has been running for nearly 50 years, lost the organization about $104,000 last year. Now, the society is running on empty. Vogt, who left her post in August, is back as a volunteer during her retirement to get the organization out of its sticky financial situation. She's drawing from her extensive experience as an accountant. A lack of financial knowledge is common in arts organizations and other non-profits, she said, and the Folk Arts Society was no exception. "They recruited, I believe, five times and could not get a qualified treasurer to go on the board," Vogt said. "So, the weeks [after the festival] turned into months and they had no good financial statements." It isn't the first time the organization found itself in a tough spot financially. According to Vogt, it was "at the bottom of the well" in 2019, when the group lost over $80,000. But when the 2024 festival season rolled around, Vogt said the Folk Arts Society had $45,000 of reserve funds. That reserve has since dried up, and the Folk Arts Society is pleading for help. Will there be another festival? The 2025 festival is already on the schedule for July 11, just four months away. Vogt is optimistic that it will still go ahead. "We are going to turn this around with corporate donations," she said. The Folk Arts Society is open to sponsorship offers, and is seeking donations from folk lovers all over the country. The board is also seeking to recruit more volunteers and potential board members. Despite the financial troubles, Vogt says the organization can be trusted with those donations. "The finances are now well in hand once again," she said. "I'm back. I told the board, 'fine, I am not leaving.'" In the meantime, the plan is to run the festival with volunteers and a small paid staf. That is if the board can collect enough donations. Vogt is refusing to let the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival meet the same fate as the recently shuttered Vancouver and Regina festivals.
