About Folkus

Great live music. Friendly people. All volunteer run.

Quite simply, the Folkus Project is all about bringing great, live acoustic music to Central New York. We’ve been doing that for over two decades, and cultivating a community of acoustic music fans in the process.

Folkus is a not-for-profit organization, run entirely by volunteers committed to bringing a wide variety of live music to our area. This includes old favorites, up and coming artists, and seasoned performers new to our area – all high quality, and all at affordable prices. We present shows twice a month on Friday nights, from September to May.

It’s important to us to give our performers a great experience playing with us, and to have our audiences feel a part of a greater community of folks who enjoy listening to live music out with others. For us, it’s about the music as well as the experience that live music creates.

Our Mission 

The Folkus Project brings high-quality live acoustic music to Central New York audiences and nurtures the experience of community that live music creates.

How We Work

Folkus has a Board that serves as a steering committee, with smaller teams of folks focusing on the particular components of running the organization (booking, publicity, volunteers, hospitality, tech, membership, finance, outreach, etc.).

And of course, it’s thanks to our extended circle of volunteers on show nights, and those involved with behind the scenes tasks and special projects, that we’re able to continue to do what we do, in the way that we do it.

Who We Are

Many people are part of making Folkus run. In addition to those listed below, there are many dedicated volunteers who’ve been lending their time and support to Folkus for years, and others who we’re happy to have come on board more recently.

Folkus Board

• Robert Becker — President / Technology Advisor
• Chris Finkle — Vice President
• Jan Peneston — Treasurer
• Marilyn Smith — Secretary / Publicity & Marketing
• Jackie Downing — Volunteer Coordinator / Facebook
• Jeff Peneston — Production Manager
• Jon Peterson
• Susie Weiss

Our Venue

The Folkus Project is so fortunate to have May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society donate their space to us for our shows. We use the Sanctuary with its warm wooden acoustics for our shows; this beautiful space provides a comfortable, up close and personal way to experience our live music shows. May Memorial is wheelchair accessible.

Though May Memorial does not have any role in the Folkus Project itself, they have come to treat us like family, and we’re ever so grateful to them for their generosity and hospitality. Folkus donates the net proceeds from our intermission refreshments to May Memorial, as well as provides an annual financial gift as a token of our appreciation.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Statement

Folkus strives for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in programming, audience development, and choice of venue. Our programming has included artists from a wide range of cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds and groups. Our ticket prices are low, our venue is accessible, and we provide a welcoming environment. We recognize that live music provides an opportunity to bring together people of diverse backgrounds and to build community connections.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The Folkus Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation or military status in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to selection of performing artists, selection of board members, participation of volunteers and audience members, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all performing artists, directors, volunteers, and audience members.