Brenda Yanok is the community manager of Folk School Warroad. The school opened in 2019 with about 20 events the first year and has grown since. They rely on grant funding from the NWMAC. Their mission is to provide learning experiences in art, culture, local history, traditional crafts and exploration and enjoyment of local natural resources. She provided a background of the history of the school, the concept of folk schools, and what they offer.

What is a folk school? A folk school is a series of classes and programs that bring people together to make things, make music, make stories and learn together. In most folk schools, individual expression and social interaction are developed and supported through classes in music, crafts, nature studies, gardening, cooking, dance, and other expressions of the local culture.

In addition to leading the organization, Brenda teaches quilting and enjoys other art practices including drawing and painting. She spoke about the community aspect of the school and the unexpected connections the attendees make. This year the non-profit has had over 650 attendees, 52 classes, and 29 different instructors. Popular classes include making Ojibwe style snowshoes, fiber arts (weaving and spinning), wood carving, and Native arts classes including beadwork and ribbon skirts. They’ve also offered wine making, journaling, baking, and basket weaving. The school works closely with the historical society and the DNR in their program offerings and utilizes other venues like the local brewery and culture center. They purchased rigid heddle looms that will allow them to offer more weaving opportunities. Their vision for next year includes further developing fiber arts and native arts courses, and offering relief and block printing and more Adirondack snowshoe chair sessions.

Find out more on their website: folkschoolwarroad.org or follow them on FB.