Folk & Traditional Arts

Folk & Traditional Arts

The folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community. Community members may share a common ethnic heritage, cultural mores, language, religion, occupation, or geographic region. These vital and constantly reinvigorated artistic traditions are shaped by values and standards of excellence that are passed from generation to generation, most often within family and community, through demonstration, conversation, and practice.

Folk and Traditional Arts Fact Sheet | Folk and Traditional Arts Motion Graphic

Staff

Folk & Traditional Arts Director

Clifford Murphy
Clifford Murphy was appointed the director of Folk & Traditional Arts at the National Endowment for the Arts in August...

Staff

Bill Mansfield
Folk & Traditional Arts Specialist, mansfieldw@arts.gov
Cheryl Schiele
Folk & Traditional Arts Specialist, schielec@arts.gov

Recent Grants

Recent Grants

An online grant search is available to find information on NEA grants from 2000 to the present.

Podcasts

Headshot of a woman.
Ash/Sweetgrass Basketmaker and 2016 National Heritage Fellow

Lifetime Honors

NEA National Heritage Fellowships

National Heritage Fellowships

The NEA National Heritage Fellowships recognize the recipients' artistic excellence and support their continuing contributions to our nation's traditional arts heritage.

Medal of Arts

National Medal of Arts

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government and is awarded by the President of the United States.

Publications

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 dramatically exposed the vulnerability of the arts and cultural sector in emergency preparedness and emergency response. To strengthen the understanding and readiness of...
The 2016 Guide provides details on the programs and activities that the NEA supports, as well as funding deadlines for our various grants. Included is information on Grants for Organizations,...