Individual Artists

How to Apply to the Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing
Deadline: Extended to June 22, 2012

Coordinator: Lynn Martin Graton
Lynn.J.Graton@dcr.nh.gov
(603) 271-8418

These FY13 Guidelines are valid for fiscal year July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013

The Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing is a directory of traditional artists, community scholars, and folklorists who are available for performances, demonstrations, workshops, and other community-based presentations in New Hampshire. The Traditional Arts Program provides this service as a resource for arts organizations, museums, community groups, schools, and other groups that want to include traditional arts and artists in their programs. The Listing provides contact information, areas of specialty, and types of presentations preferred.

What are traditional arts? Crafts, songs, dances and music that are passed down from one generation to the next within families and communities are an important and cherished part of a community’s heritage.  Communities can be defined in many ways, such as groups that share the same ethnic heritage, language, geographic area, religion, occupation, or way of life. For a traditional artist, being true to the inheritance of the past provides deep satisfaction. Therefore, the techniques and forms of traditional arts tend to change very slowly. Traditions are not static and each generation adds their special creativity to the tradition. However, the sense of what is beautiful and well done is defined more by the community than by an individual artist's very personal creative vision. Because of this, traditional arts often become symbols of identity and pride for a community. The State Arts Council’s Traditional Arts Program seeks to be responsive to how communities define themselves and their traditions. Because of limited resources, we place emphasis on supporting tradition bearers that have a direct connection to the community or group from which a tradition emerged. Here are just a few of the traditional art forms that can be found in New Hampshire: New England social dancing & music (including contra and square dancing); French-Canadian fiddling and song; Scottish Highland piping, drumming & dance; Irish music & ceili dancing; Jewish Klezmer music; African-American gospel music; African drumming and dance; Western Abenaki brown ash & sweet grass basket making; quilting; rug braiding; rug hooking; spinning; lace-making; dried wreath making; decorative painting; Scandinavian knitting; Chinese knot tying; Russian iconography; musical instrument making; furniture making; sign carving; fly tying; Polish paper cutting; wood carving; barrel making (cooperage); canoe building; boat building; dog sled making; snowshoe making; fish net making; bow and arrow making; stone wall building; timber framing; ox yoke making; and harness making. For more information on traditional arts and folklife in New Hampshire, visit New Hampshire Folklife. This online educational resource includes an interactive Learning Center and a searchable database of traditional music recordings.

Not-for-profit organizations can seek funding through General Project Grants to present traditional arts in a variety of projects.

Who can apply to be on the Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing?
Tradition bearers representing any cultural or ethnic tradition in New Hampshire may apply to be on the Listing. Traditional artists residing in neighboring states may apply and be accepted if they represent a tradition not currently included in the Listing.

Cultural specialists and folklorists who want to work with community-based organizations in the development and implementation of programs focused on folklife and traditional arts are encouraged to apply.

Master traditional artists who receive a Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant are automatically invited to join the Listing.

Application Review Process
State Arts Council staff reviews applications for accuracy, eligibility and completeness. The application is then submitted to the same panel of cultural specialists that reviews applications for Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grants. Panel recommendations are submitted to the State Arts Councilors for approval.

Criteria for Selection

For traditional artists:

• High level of artistic excellence;
• Recognition within the community as a tradition bearer representing a community-based tradition;
• Excellent communication skills in presenting traditional culture in a variety of community settings.

For community scholars & folklorists:

• For community scholars - at least one year of experience with fieldwork research and/or public program development and implementation in a particular area of cultural heritage and/or some academic background in an aspect of cultural studies;
• For folklorists - an academic background as a folklorist and some personal experience with fieldwork research and public program development and implementation;
• For all - excellent public communication skills in presenting traditional culture in a variety of community settings.

How to Apply

• Complete the Application Form: MSWord / PDF
• Complete the Disclosure Form: MSWord / PDF
• Include Work Samples and Letters of Support (see below and the application for more information).

Applicants are encouraged to contact Lynn Martin Graton, Acting Director & Traditional Arts Coordinator, at 603/271-8418 or lynn.j.graton@dcr.nh.gov to discuss their project.

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Narrative Questions
See the application form.

Work Samples
Visual or sound samples of your work are essential to the review panel’s understanding of your work and evaluation of your application.

Depending upon your art form, submit the appropriate materials:

• CRAFTS:  images (up to 20) photographic prints or digital images on disc.
• MUSIC:     audio cassette or DVD
• DANCE:    DVD

IMPORTANT: Applications without Work Samples WILL NOT be forwarded to the panel

See Preparation of Work Samples for instructions on preparing work samples/support materials.

NOTE to craft artists: You may also submit an actual sample of your work for the panel to view, but the State Arts Council cannot accept liability for loss or damage.

Letters of Support
Letters of support are essential to helping the panel understand how members of the community value the tradition you are involved with and how well you communicate this in public presentations.  Please submit at least 2 current letters of support for this particular Apprenticeship application.

How to Prepare the Application Package
1. Complete the Application and Disclosure forms. The application should include an original signature.
2. Include the required Work Samples and requested Letters of Support. Please do not put the application and support materials in a 3-ring binder.
3. Please make a copy of the application for your files.
4. Mail or deliver the application and materials to: NH State Council on the Arts, 19 Pillsbury Street, 1st Floor, Concord, NH 03301 by the deadline.

Deadline
Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered to the NH State Council on the Arts office at 19 Pillsbury Street, Concord, by 4:30 p.m. on the deadline date noted above. Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The office is closed all state and most federal holidays. Late applications will not be accepted. The Council cannot accept applications transmitted by facsimile (FAX) or email. It is not responsible for applications lost in transit. Errors and omissions may affect a panel's evaluation of your application, so please prepare your application carefully and follow instructions.

Notification
Applicants will be notified of their status approximately ten weeks following the application deadline.

Last updated: January 24, 2012