Nevada Arts Council

Nevada Stories  I  Nevada Heritage Award Recipients  I  Folklife Masters and Apprentices  I Folk Arts Roster

The Folklife Program of the Nevada Arts Council seeks to discover, understand, document, and support significant cultural traditions wherever they arise. Some of our grant programs encourage individual folk and traditional artists and practitioners to preserve and perpetuate their art forms and lifeways. Other grants support community engagement with traditional festivals and celebrations, foodways, and performance. Our education initiatives promote collaboration between traditional artists and schools or community groups in support of hands-on learning opportunities for all ages.

 From Washoe basketry and African-American gospel singing to cowboy poetry and Ukrainian pysanky (egg decoration), Nevada is home to hundreds of diverse traditions.  Some folk and traditional arts have been transported here from other regions or countries and have taken root to become interwoven with Nevada’s cultural landscape and identity; some have flourished on the 27 tribal reservations and colonies in the state; others have developed locally with specific occupational groups.

Folk and traditional artists are tradition bearers -- people who transmit what they believe, know, do, and create with others who share a common heritage, language, religion, occupation, or region.  These expressions are deeply rooted in and reflective of a community’s shared standards of beauty, values, or life experiences.  Folk and traditional arts are generally passed on from one generation to the next and express a collective wisdom rather than a unique personal aesthetic. To meet some of Nevada’s folk artists and hear what they have to say about their traditions, click on Nevada Stories.

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 WHAT'S NEW?

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FAMILY FLOWERS / FLORES FAMILIARES The intricate and colorful embroidery of Las Vegas folk artist Romeo Siguenza and members of his family will be featured in Family Flowers/Flores Familiares, a new exhibition developed by the NAC Folklife Program. Family Flowers opens at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas on June 16, 2013 and runs through the end of the year. Exhibit Opening Reception - June 16. Read more on Romeo Siquenza's work.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

ARTIST RESIDENCY EXPRESS GRANTS
The Artist Residency Express (AREx) Grant is designed for community and educational sponsors to host a short-term artist residency (one to three days) using an artist on one of the NAC artist rosters (Arts Learning, Folk Arts and Tumblewords.) Non-roster artists may be used, but require additional support materials/work sample. The residency design allows the artist to explore his/her discipline with students, teachers and community members through classes, demonstrations, lectures and discussions, rehearsals, performances, or community events. AREx grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the year while funds are available. Read more.

• Folk Arts Education Resources
• Folklife Publications
• Folklife Online Resources  
• Definition of Folklife
• FY13-14 Grant Guidelines