Even in 2010, it is an indisputable fact that several musicians face hindrance when they try to find way to perform. The Førde Folk Music Festival hence offers a unique opportunity for artists that experience censorship in their home country.

Music's explosive power
- Arts and culture is the basis and hallmark for all of the world's civilizations, says director of the Førde Folk Music Festival, Hilde Bjørkum. Therefore art, not least music, can be provocative and pose a potential threat. Through history, musicians and several musical traditions have experienced censorship, prosecution and suppression of political, religious or other rights.

- To be able to freely perform and disseminate one’s music and music tradition is an fundamental element of the principle of freedom of expression; consequently it is also important to focus on this theme, says Bjørkum. -However, this is no sombre and dead serious festival, if anyone should fear it! We will celebrate musicians that refuse to be silenced, celebrate music's immense power and survival capability and present unique music traditions that are alive today in spite of attempts to suppress and eradicate them.

Artists
This year’s theme-artists represent a diversity of countries and continents:

Aurelio Martinez - Honduras
Parno Graszt - Hungary
Kroke - Poland
Malouma - Mauritania
The Kamkars - Iran
Dhoad Gypsies from Rajasthan - India
Amal Murkus - Palestine
Lars-Ánte Kuhmunen - Sweden

Artists from several other countries will also appear at the festival during 8.-11. July 2010. A complete festival programme is scheduled for release on the 22nd of March.

The Førde Folk Music Festival is one of Norway’s major festivals, and holds a position as Scandinavia’s largest acoustic folk/Trad/world-music festival. Each year, the festival puts on display artists from the entire world at more than 80 concerts and other events during the festival’s four day duration – reaching an audience in excess of 25 000. Her Royal Highness Queen Sonja is the festival’s patron. The festival is subject to considerable domestic and international media coverage.