The new National Folk Festival boss is a dog-loving, vintage-car driving, community-vibing force of nature

Heidi Pritchard, the new managing director of the National Folk Festival, in the festival offices at Mitchell with Rosie, one of her foster dogs. Picture supplied Heidi Pritchard, the just-appointed managing director of the National Folk Festival, is characteristically enthusiastic about her new role after 11 years with the National Library and 12 years with the National Museum. “Clearly, I stay and I build,” she said, of her previous tenures.

“I’m committed to this and everything I’ve done before has led to this moment. “I’m passionate about the folk festival, I’m passionate about community, I’m passionate about the love that people have for this thing. ” Heidi Pritchard with Billy Bragg at the 2023 National Folk Festival in Canberra in April.

Picture supplied Ms Pritchard was the manager of public programs at the National Library and the manager of lifelong learning at the National Museum. At her most recent gig with the museum, she was responsible for staging everything from last year’s Icehouse concert to open the Great Southern Land gallery to commandeering a legion of Roman soldiers who were part of the 2018-19 museum blockbuster, Rome: City and Empire . And she was always at the ready to smooth the path at any event.

READ MORE: Tent city springs up as folk music fans brave the wet I Don’t Go Shearing Now hits the stage UK rocker and Aussie folk legends headline 2023 Folk Festival “The Roman soldiers basically moved into the museum for four days and one night there was a huge electrical storm and they were all wearing these really tall metal helmets and I was yelling to them, ‘Take your helmets off!’,” she said, with a laugh. Armed with a great sense of humour, lots of energy and an attention to the big picture and small detail, Ms Pritchard has been appointed to head the folk festival for, initially, a three-year term. She went incognito at the most recent folk festival in April to get an idea of what the punters thought.

“I spent the whole time on the big tables outside asking people, ‘What worked?’ and ‘What was the best thing you’ve seen?’,” she said. “People said it felt like a ‘homecoming festival’. They felt seen, they felt recognised.

” Heidi Pritchard with her 1935 Austin 7 roadster called Jane. Picture by Keegan Carroll Among her first moves are to appoint a youth advisory board and a First Nations advisory board, and to broaden the appeal of the folk festival. “I really want to increase the offering for families,” she said.

A long-time foster carer for dogs and motorcycle and vintage car enthusiast (she drives a 1935 Austin 7 roadster called “Jane” – geddit?), Ms Pritchard has moved into the folk festival office in Mitchell, temporarily, with Rosie, one of her foster dogs who is suffering from separation anxiety. “She’s an excellent office manager,” Ms Pritchard said. And now it’s Heidi’s turn to put her stamp on the festival.

“I’m really excited,” she said. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Megan Doherty Journalist I like telling local stories and celebrating Canberra. Email: megan.

doherty@canberratimes. com. au I like telling local stories and celebrating Canberra.

Email: megan. doherty@canberratimes. com.

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