The Norwegian Traditional Music and Dance Association (NFD) is an independent national organisation that was launched in 1987 to promote the oldest Norwegian musical forms and their accompanying dances. The organisation emphasises the preservation and strengthening of the unbroken oral traditions and the genuine qualities they give to Norwegian instrumental music, folk singing and dancing. At the same time, the organisation is open to composed and experimental music inspired by the old traditional forms. The organisation feels it their particular responsibility to work towards introducing these art forms to a broader public.
 
The NFD organizes the annual ÁRINN international festival of traditional music and dance (www.arinn.no) and arranges concerts, courses and seminars, alone or in co-operation with other organisations and groups.
 
The NFD publishes The Yearbook of Norwegian Traditional Music and Kvinten, the newsletter of the NFD.
 
The NFD's agent services organisation is the Norwegian Traditional Music Agency which is also responsible for the Norwegian Traditional Music Directory in co operation with Landslaget for Spelemenn.
 
The organisation furthermore emphasises active cultural-political work for strengthening folk music and dance's position as art forms, and lobbies for more employment positions for performers. As lobby organization the NFD is an active partner in the SAMSTEMT initiative together with the FONO (Norwegian independent record companies), Landslaget for Spelemenn, Norgesnettet, Norwegian Jazz Federation and Norsk Rockforbund.
 
The NFD is a rights holder association in GRAMO, the Norwegian performers rights association, has an agreement on co-operation with the Norwegian Musicians Union, and co-operates with colleagues in other countries through membership in the Nordic Council of Traditional Music and Dance and the European Network of Traditional Music and Dance.