Could it all be a fiddle? Folk stars tell the BBC to reveal who judges awards

Radio 2 defends lack of transparency in voting process at showpiece music event

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
Arts & Ents blogs

Brighton Fringe 2012: laughing through the blood, sweat and tears

It has been an emotional journey. The three weeks of intense activity that make up England's larges...

Disclosure: We’d never even been to a club when we made our first single

For most of us, reaching eighteen years of age opens up a new world for exploration, spontaneity and...

Something For The Weekend in London: May 25 – May 27

With 20+ degree weather expected to last all weekend in the capital, we'd be silly not to make the m...

The cream of the folk scene will next week head to Salford for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the showpiece event of the year. Fans will see some of the most talented folk musicians collecting a range of awards from best singer to musician of the year. What they will not know, however, is who selected them for such accolades.

The Folk Awards, now in their 13th year, have gone from what an industry expert called "a night out with a few people from the scene" to "the premier show... massive". Yet as they have grown, so have questions over how prizes are awarded and why the BBC and Smooth Operations, the independent radio production company that runs the event, will not name the judges.

Wednesday's ceremony in The Lowry Theatre in Salford will be fronted by Radio 2's Mike Harding, the biggest folk DJ in the UK. Acts including Don McLean and The Dubliners will perform. Phil Widdows, founder of independent folk music podcast FolkCast, said that after the nominations were announced in November "I started asking questions about who the judges were and the rules of the awards. The more questions I asked, the fewer answers there seemed to be."

Many folk fans and industry insiders arefrustrated by what they see as a lack of transparency. "You need to know who the judges are to work out whether the awards have any credibility. It is a small industry where everyone knows everyone, so there are rumours about who the judges are," Widdows said.

It is understood between 150 and 180 judges decide the awards, but the BBC and Smooth Operations are guarding their identities. Emma Hartley, who runs folk blog The Glamour Cave (http://theglamourcave.blogspot.com/ ), spoke to a judge who was under the impression he was not supposed to let people know. "I think I probably know about 100 of them. If you go to the Folk Awards and look around you can make an educated guess about who they are."

At least two Freedom of Information requests for the identity of the judges have been denied, one dating back several years, as has an appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Musicians have also aired their feelings during debates on social networks and blogs. "I'm not a judge or a potential nominee," wrote singer-songwriter Tom Bliss, "but I would prefer the process to be robust, transparent and above criticism."

John Leonard, who runs Smooth Operations, was unavailable for comment yesterday. But he told Emma Hartley he did not want the names of the judges to be public because: "I'm very aware about the better-off record companies being able to lobby people on the panel."

Mike Harding said those who had raised concerns over the process should "give up on your moaning and support the folk scene". He added: "There is no corruption and no favouritism."

The BBC said that it wanted to avoid any lobbying of the judges.

Questions have also been raised over whether judges are exposed to a wide enough range of music. One judging source said that to select nominees: "I just keep my ears open. I buy a load of stuff and I get a load of stuff given to me during the course of the year."

Judges are unable to vote for artists with whom they have a professional interest or close personal relationship.

Tinkerscuss singer Bryony Holden said: "There seems a closed shop when it comes to the newer acts. There seems to be some sort of folk "mafia" – the same names come up all the time and if you're not in, then you haven't a hope in hell of getting much airplay."

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Patrick Cockburn: I fear this terrible massacre will be the beginning of a long civil war in Syria

Patrick Cockburn

I fear this terrible massacre will be the beginning of a long civil war in Syria
Hardeep Singh Kohli: For me, it is all about 'Gregory's Girl', a record of first love

Hardeep Singh Kohli

For me, it is all about 'Gregory's Girl', a record of first love
Christian Louboutin: 'I don't think comfort equals happiness'

Christian Louboutin interview

'I don't think comfort equals happiness'
Happy birthday, Hotel Babylon!

Happy birthday, Hotel Babylon!

Hollywood's home to the A-list celebrates 100 years of discreet luxury
Rupert Cornwell: Low-rise capital could finally reach for the sky

Rupert Cornwell: Out of America

Low-rise capital could finally reach for the sky
The secret life of the red carpet

The secret life of the red carpet

As Cannes reaches its climax with the Palme d'Or and the celebrities gather in London for the Baftas tonight, Kate Youde and Jack Dean investigate the real star of the show
It's not easy being Professor Green: The rapper, the heiress and a drama made in Chelsea...

It's not easy being Professor Green

The rapper, the heiress and a drama made in Chelsea...
Hardcore, hard-wired: How the prevalence of porn is changing our everyday lives

How porn is changing our lives

It's everywhere - from pop videos to fashion magazines to the theatrical stage.
River Phoenix: the final reel

River Phoenix: the final reel

Twenty years after the actor's death, his last film is to be released
Facebook: The shares shenanigans

Facebook: The shares shenanigans

Investors are crying foul over the huge losses they incurred when the social network site floated on the stock market last week
Up and away – how '7 Up' went global

Up and away – how '7 Up' went global

As the last episode of Britain's '56 Up' airs, the first episode of '28 Up', from the former USSR, starts. Then there's the US, Japan, Germany...
You'll soon pick this up: Tuck into Bill Granger's fresh street food

Tuck into Bill Granger's fresh street food

It provides perfect party fare for some fun in the sun...
All to play for: How is Ukraine shaping up ahead of Euro 2012?

How is Ukraine shaping up ahead of Euro 2012?

Peter Popham casts his eye over the state of the Euro 2012 co-host ahead of the tournament.
Red or not, here they come: Artists reimagine the iconic telephone booth

BT ArtBoxes: Red or not, here they come

Artists reimagine the iconic telephone booth...
The Last Word: Premier bullies devise youth system bound to end in tears

The Last Word

Premier bullies devise youth system bound to end in tears