named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
4 for Folkies Podcast
Short-form interview podcast featuring performers discussing folk music, personal influences, and traditions
Community Song Circles
Monthly singing gatherings in Brooklyn and Staten Island that welcome all skill levels to participate in folk song traditions
Fall Weekend
Annual multi-day event in NYC featuring concerts, workshops, and jam sessions focused on folk and traditional music
TradMaD Camp
Annual six-day residential camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts for adults to learn traditional music and dance through workshops, concerts, and communal sessions
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Traditional & Cultural Performing Arts 1 activity
- Host monthly round-robin singing eventsOrganizes monthly round-robin singing events centered on traditional maritime work songs and ballads.
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Host residential folk music camps and weekend eventsOrganizes multi-day residential events including an annual six-day summer camp at Pinewoods, Massachusetts, and city-based weekend getaways featuring workshops, concerts, dances, and informal music sessions focused on traditional folk music and dance.
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Community Choral Rehearsals & Performances 1 activity
- Host weekly community gatherings with traditional songsHosts weekly gatherings since 2014 featuring singing, storytelling, poetry, and monthly guest performers, with a focus on traditional songs and ballads.
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Irish and Scottish Cultural Performance & Instruction 1 activity
- Organize folk music and dance eventsHosts regular folk music and dance events including contra dances, community song circles, sea shanty sessions, and Irish traditional music sessions in New York City. Events include beginner lessons and are held weekly or monthly at recurring locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Produce and distribute folk event listingsProduces and distributes a monthly listing of folk music events in the New York area through a newsletter and Google Calendar to promote community engagement.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produce folk music podcastsProduces and publishes short podcast episodes featuring interviews with folk music performers about their music and traditions.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Provide on-hold music previews of folk performersOperates a phone system that plays previews of folk performers' music to callers while on hold.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$122K
Contributions & grants$22K18%
Program service revenue$95K78%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$105
expenses
Total expenses$125K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$10K
balance sheet
Total assets$235K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$235K
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -9.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- Betsy Mayer — Board Member
- Leslie Berman — Board Member
- Sharon Becker — Board Member
relationships · 18
Who they work with
- Brooklyn Contra Partner — Collaborates with Brooklyn Contra to offer contra dance events.
- Brooklyn Folk Festival Partner — Participates in the Brooklyn Folk Festival.
- Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture Partner — Hosts monthly community song circles in Brooklyn.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Co-presents concerts and workshops as part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound festival.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Collaborates with Carnegie Hall as part of the United in Sound festival.
- Copper Kettle Partner — Host venue for the weekly Sunnyside Singers Club gatherings.
- Country Dance & Song Society of America Network — Was founded as a division of the Country Dance & Song Society of America.
- LITMA Partner — Co-sponsors and organizes the LITMA Contra Dance events.
- Noble Maritime Collection Partner — Co-hosts sea shanty sessions at Snug Harbor Cultural Center
- Noble Maritime Collection Partner — Hosts sea shanty sessions at Snug Harbor Cultural Center in partnership with the Folk Music Society of New York.
- Old Songs Festival Partner — Folk Music Society of New York Inc supports the Old Songs Festival as a partner organization.
- Pinewoods Partner — Host site for the Traditional Music and Dance Camp (TradMaD), providing the physical location for the program.
- Porch Stomp Partner — Participates in and is featured at the Porch Stomp folk music event.
- Smithtown Historical Society Partner — Co-sponsors LITMA Contra Dance events at the Smithtown Historical Society Brush Barn.
- South Street Seaport Museum Partner — Co-hosts monthly sea chanteys and maritime music events.
- St. George Library Center Partner — Provides space for monthly singing sessions in Staten Island.
- The Landmark Tavern Partner — Host venue for the Irish Traditional Music Session, providing space and facilities.
- other folk events and organizations Partner — Supports and collaborates with other folk events and organizations as part of mission-driven activities.
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Participatory Engagement Modelmethodology: participatory_engagementBy centering participatory formats in music, dance, and storytelling, the organization fosters inclusive community engagement and sustains traditional folk arts, because active involvement—rather than passive observation—builds personal connection, lowers barriers to entry, and enables intergenerational transmission of cultural practices.
- Residential Immersion Programmingmethodology: residential_immersionBy hosting residential events and camps that integrate performance with communal living, the organization deepens cultural transmission and participant engagement, because immersive environments foster sustained interaction, peer-to-peer learning, and stronger community bonds around folk traditions.