The mission of Tidewater Friends of Folk Music is to create opportunities for individuals and communities to celebrate, share, and sustain the vitality of ethnic and traditional arts for present and future generations.

Five values underlie the Tidewater Friends of Folk Music mission statement: participation, sharing, heritage, community, and social good.

1. TFFM believes it is as important to participate in the arts as it is to watch them.

2. TFFM encourages people to share their cultural arts which promotes understanding between peoples and leads to a deeper understanding of self.

3. TFFM believes that traditional art forms live, breathe, and change in people and that each person is a bearer of folk arts no matter what his or her background. The preservation of heritage is vital, however, preservation can and must allow for continued growth and development.

4. Community is the basis of all our work. We rely on communities to inspire and create programs and we believe that the people themselves are the best judge of what is important, useful or traditional in their cultures.

5. Finally, we believe that humans are revitalized by the arts, both mentally and spiritually. When a person shares aspects of their culture, opportunities are created to dissolve misunderstandings, breakdown stereotypes and increase respect and tolerance for one another which results in the social good of all. And, too, folk arts are universal and accessible, emphasizing what is common - and what is special - about each of us.

September of 2011 marks the 40th anniversary for Tidewater Friends of Folk Music. The organization formerly known as Songmakers of Virginia has gone through as many changes since its conception back in 1971. As they would have said back then… "you've come a long way baby" and we sure have… yea TFFM!

TFFM is a non-profit 501(c3) organization, run strictly by volunteers who are dedicated in bringing quality music to the Hampton Roads area.