Concerts & Events

Old Town School of Folk Music is hosting its 3rd annual Black History Future Folk Symposium. Produced by Old Town School's Community Ventures Department, the symposium draws inspiration from the definition of folk music provided by Folk Alliance International: “Folk is the music of the people, reflective of any community where they are from.”

The theme for 2026 is Katherine Dunham and the African Diaspora.

Focusing on the prolific Chicago legacy of Katherine Dunham, this two-day symposium will invite participants of all ages to participate in open, accessible, and rigorous discussions about the intersections of Black history, liberated futures, and folk practices. Through presentations, panel discussions, participatory workshops, and performances, 2026's BHFF Symposium will cultivate fertile ground for deep theoretical and embodied understandings of Afro-diasporic dance and music.