TRAVELING EXHIBIT TO TOUR STATE'S LIBRARIES

by Lynn Graton, Traditional Arts Coordinator
NH State Council on the Arts
NH Department of Cultural Resources
www.nh.gov/folklife; www.nh.gov/nharts

This spring, summer and fall, the N.H. State Council on the Arts will be touring a small traveling exhibit to nine state's libraries and one historical society. The exhibit, Discovering Heritage Arts in New Hampshire is based upon the New Hampshire Folklife website's newest activity: "Heritage Arts Build-A-Pictures." These interactive picture puzzles are designed for grades 3 and up and feature original artworks of traditional arts commissioned for New Hampshire illustrators.

The website activities are the exhibit promote a wider appreciation for folk and traditional arts in New Hampshire, broaden the concept of literacy to include language specific to traditional arts, and support New Hampshire artists. The online activities are especially helpful for teachers covering units on New Hampshire history and can be found on the New Hampshire Folklife website at www.nh.gov/folklife.

The exhibit focuses on eight traditional arts forms: ash basket making; sheep sheering & spinning; stone wall building; blacksmithing; fly tying; dog sled making; contra dance & music; and French Canadian soiree. Two versions of the exhibit are being developed, one that is free hanging and one that comes complete with portable display panels.

The ten exhibit venues for the 2008 season represent a broad geographic coverage of our state. More libraries will be invited to host the exhibit for the 2009 season. If your library is interested in learning more, please feel free to contact:

Lynn Martin Graton
Traditional Arts Coordinator
NH State Council on the Arts
2½ Beacon Street
Concord NH 03301

e-mail: lynn.j.graton@dcr.nh.gov
phone: (603) 271-8418

2008 Traditional Arts Exhibit Host Sites are: