Like many songwriters in the folk tradition, the National Folk Festival has seen some troubles. But things are looking up this year, with a successful 2013 festival and the appointment of a new director.
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Experienced festival director and folk musician Pam Merrigan has stepped into the role, with plans to keep the multifaceted event on track for the next year.
To her, this means staying true to the grand tradition of what has become a signature event for Canberra. "I hope it's the variety that the festival brings to Canberra, particularly in the way of artists that wouldn't normally, I suppose, be seen in the one place at the one time," she said.
"I don't know whether it gets bigger every year, but the content becomes more diverse each year as we try and explore the different aspects of folk. I'm quite keen to explore the more quirky aspects of folk, too, rather than approach it from the traditional idea that people seem to have in their minds as to what folk music is."
Ms Merrigan was engaged by the festival last year as the artistic programs manager, and will combine this role with the overall management, after the departure of Sebastian Flynn, who has run the festival for the past four years.
She had previously been involved in the Wagga Wagga and Newcastle folk festivals, as well as being the founder of the Turning Wave Festival held in Yass.
Ms Merrigan said that with the help of ACT government funding, the festival had seen its way clear this year after financially disastrous years in 2011 and 2012.
"There were compliance issues and costs that came out of left field that weren't expected - 2011 was a particularly difficult year from the weather point of view, it also coincided with Anzac Day … it's not just down to one or two things, there are always a range of contributing factors," she said.
For more information, visit www.folkfestival.org.au.