What is a folk school?
Essentially, a folk school is a school that provides skill based learning of traditional crafts. It is a place where you can learn a variety of hands-on skills, generally with a focus on creating and teaching and not evaluation. Classes often include topics such as blacksmithing, woodcarving, broom making and weaving.
Whether you’re looking to start a side business in handcrafts, want to develop a new hobby, or simply want to expand your horizons and attempt a new skill while on vacation, folk schools are a phenomenal way to learn a new craft. Classes vary depending on the school you choose and their particular emphasis, but they often have many similar courses.
The line between folk school and art school is a blurry one at times, what is the difference between teaching modern art ceramics and teaching pottery geared towards making vessels for use? In general, I excluded schools from this list that I felt were primarily arts and crafts schools, though there is some overlap at times. I also listed a few schools that focus on a particular skill– woodworking or leatherworking for example. Take a look at each schools class schedule and decide if it is the appropriate one for you.
Either way, you’re sure to learn something!
Since I believe in learning practical and useful skills and crafts (and prefer to learn in person), it is only natural that I would recommend attending a folk school. I’ve actually never been to one, but I’ve had a few on my bucket list to attend for multiple years. Keep in mind, folk schools aren’t the only ways to learn these skills– for example, I learned blacksmithing through a class at a local tech college. Primitive skills gatherings are also a phenomenal place to learn the basics of many skills (though they tend to be more nature based classes) and I have a directory of gatherings that you can look at here. However, skills gatherings are events with specific dates, folk schools usually offer classes year round which can be much easier to fit into your schedule.
Here is a directory of folk schools in the U.S organized by state. I’ll list the couple outside the country that I know about down at the bottom. If you know of any additional folk schools (or schools that offer similar classes) let me know and I’ll add them (I know I’m likely missing a lot that are outside the country)!
Folk Schools in the United States
Alabama
Alabama Folk School– Nauvoo, Alabama. alfolkschool.com
Burritt Folk School– Huntsville, Alabama. https://burrittonthemountain.com/burritt-folk-school/
Alaska
Alaska Folk School– Talkeetna, Alaska. http://northernsusitnainstitute.org/alaska-folk-school/class-offerings/
Homer Folk Cooperative (formerly the Homer Folk School)– Homer, Alaska. Their old website seems to have expired, but here is a link to their facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/homerfolkschool.org/
Palmer Folk School– Palmer, Alaska. https://www.palmerfolkschool.org/
The Folk School– Fairbanks, Alaska. https://folk.school/
Arkansas
Ozark Folk School– Mountain View, Arkansas. This is actually a state park that seems to focus on demonstrating heritage and folk skills, but they also have workshops that run in conjunction with that. https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/ozark-folk-center-state-park
California
California Folk School– Los Alamos, California. Not sure if this is still active. https://www.cal-folk.com/
Hearth Folk School– Sebastopol, California. https://hearthfolkschool.com/
Colorado
Living Arts School– Boulder County, Colorado. https://livingartsschool.com/
Florida
The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum– Cortez, Florida. https://www.floridamaritimemuseum.org/the-folk-school
The Guild, School of Metal Arts and Urban Crafts– Pompano Beach, Florida. https://www.guildfl.com/
Georgia
Foxfire– Mountain City, Georgia. https://www.foxfire.org/heritage-skills-classes/
Mikell Folk School– Toccoa, Georgia. http://campmikell.com/mikell-folk-school/class-offerings/
Southern Appalachia Folk School– Jasper, Georgia. https://www.safsga.org/
The Homestead Atlanta– Atlanta area, Georgia. www.thehomesteadatl.com
Idaho
Bee Tree Folk School– Weiser, Idaho. http://beetreefolkschool.org/
Illinois
Chicago School of Shoemaking– Chicago, Illinois. This one’s not really a folk school like the other ones, they don’t offer classes on a variety of topics but mainly focus their learning on shoe making. They do offer some leather working classes though and I thought they would be useful for anyone in the Chicago area to know about. I decided to include them anyway. https://www.chicagoschoolofshoemaking.com/leather-work-classes/
Iowa
Turkeyfoot Folk School– Iowa City, Iowa. https://www.turkeyfootfolkschool.org
Villages Folk School– Van Buren County, Iowa. https://villagesfolkschool.com/
Maryland
Furnace Town– Snow Hill, Maryland. http://www.furnacetown.org/folk-school
Massachusetts
Old Sturbridge Village– Sturbridge, Massachusetts. https://www.osv.org/event/historical-craft-classes/
Michigan
Michigan Folk School– Ann Arbor, Michigan. https://www.mifolkschool.com/
Porcupine Mountains Folk School– Ontonagon, Michigan. http://porkies.org/folk-school/
Minnesota
Aspire Artisan Studios & Folk School– Waconia, Minnesota. https://www.aspireartisanstudios.com/
Avon Hills Folk School– Avon, Minnesota. intheavonhills.com
Duluth Folk School– Duluth, Minnesota. https://duluthfolkschool.com/
Ely Folk School– Ely, Minnesota. https://elyfolkschool.org/
Marine Mills Folk School– Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. https://marinemillsfolkschool.org
North House Folk School– Grand Marais, Minnesota. https://northhouse.org/
Rail River Folk School– Bemidji, Minnesota. https://railriverfolkschool.org/
Raspberry Island Folk School– Raspberry Island, Minnesota. raspberryislandfolkschool.blogspot.com
New Jersey
Peters Valley School of Craft– Located withing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, New Jersey. http://www.petersvalley.org/
New York
Adirondack Folk School– Lake Luzerne, New York. https://www.adirondackfolkschool.org/
Woodlander Folk School– Pompey, New York. Not sure if still active, couldn’t find a website and nothing has been posted to the FB page in awhile. https://www.facebook.com/woodlanderfolkschool/
North Carolina
John C. Cambell Folk School– Brasstown, North Carolina. http://folkschool.org/
Living Well Earth Stewards– Franklinville, North Carolina. https://www.livingwellearthstewards.com/
Penland School of Craft– Penland, North Carolina. More arts oriented. https://penland.org/
Oregon
Aldens School of Leather Trades– Burns, Oregon. Name says it all, this isn’t your typical folk school but strictly does leather working classes. http://leathercraftingschool.com/courses/traditional-skills/
Flora School Education Center– Enterprise, Oregon. http://floraschool.org/index.html
Portland Folk School– Portland, Oregon. http://portlandfolkschool.org/
Prairie Mountain Folk School– Joseph, Oregon. www.prairiemountainschool.com
Tennessee
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts– Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mostly art based. https://www.arrowmont.org/workshops-classes/workshops/
Texas
The Ploughshare Institute– Waco, Texas. https://www.sustainlife.org/
Virginia
Chestnut Creek School of the Arts– Galax, Virginia. Mostly art based. Some woodworking type classes though. https://chestnutcreekarts.org
Waterfold Craft School– Waterford, Virginia. https://craftschool.waterfordfoundation.org/
Washington
Arbutus Folk School– Olympia, Washington. https://arbutusfolkschool.org/
Cedarroot Folk School– Nordland, Washington. https://cedarrootschool.org/
Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding– Port Hadlock, Washington. Once again, not a typical folk school. Name says it all. . . Go build a boat. https://www.nwswb.edu/
Port Townsend School of Woodworking– Port Townsend, Washington. Again, name says it all. Classes are all on woodworking. https://www.ptwoodschool.org/
Wisconsin
Driftless Folk School– La Farge, Wisconsin. http://driftlessfolkschool.org/
Folk School at Folklore Village– Dodgeville, Wisconsin. https://folklorevillage.org/folk-school/
The Clearing Folk School– Ellison Bay, Wisconsin. https://theclearing.org
International Folk Schools
Canada
Heartwood Folk School– Pender Island, British Columbia. https://www.heartwoodfolkschool.org/
Cloverdale Craft School– Winnepeg, Manitoba. Currently only offers blacksmithing classes. http://cloverdalefarm.ca/crafts
Europe
Fosen Folkehøgskole– Rissa, Norway. http://www.fosen.fhs.no/en/
Archipelago Folk School– Scotland– looks like classes are in various locations? https://www.archipelagofolkschool.org/
Butser Ancient Farm– OBG, UK. https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/workshop-faqs
Craft Courses– UK based, not sure if it’s active anywhere else. Actually not a folk school, it is a way to connect with individuals offering workshops in a variety of topics. Interesting idea. https://www.craftcourses.com/categories/all
Weald and Downland Living Museum– Singleton, Chichester, UK. https://www.wealddown.co.uk/adult-learning/traditional-rural-trades-and-crafts/
