Alabama Folk School

The Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell was founded in 2007 as a way to enrich lives and reconnect people to music, art, and each other. Our goal is to provide the opportunity for people to work creatively with their hands, minds, and spirits and to help preserve Alabama’s cultural heritage. We do this by offering classes and workshops in traditional folk arts such as sacred harp singing, blacksmithing, dancing, storytelling, banjo, fiddle, quilting, and more. We also offer classes on traditional cooking and preserving techniques. Our low tuition cost and generous scholarship fund ensures that these opportunities are open to people of all ages and across multiple income levels, no matter where their interests lie.

We strive to attract master artists, artisans and musicians who are not only outstanding in their fields, but also engaging and effective teachers. Our instructors come from across the country and have included such internationally renowned talents as the famed Gees Bend quilters and screen printer Amos Kennedy, as well as multiple Grammy-winning musicians such as the Savoy Family Cajun Band and bluegrass singer, Claire Lynch.