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.
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