Montana Arts Council

Folklife

The Arts and Geotourism

A 2002 Geotourism Study (omit comma) sponsored by National Geographic Traveler magazine and conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America.

"From the Heart and Hand"

From the Heart and Hand contains descriptions of thirty Montana Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Awards distributed from 1992 to 1996,  by Alexandra Swaney. 

Montana Circle of American Masters

Montana's Circle of American Masters in the Folk and Traditional Arts program recognizes Montana folk artists for artistic excellence in their work, along with their help in preserving the state's cultural heritage.

National Museums | Institutions | Programs

American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress

The American Folklife Center preserves and presents American folklife through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference service, live performance, exhibitions, publications, and training.

American Folklore Society

The American Folklore Society (AFS) serves the field of folklore studies, comprised of people and institutions that study and communicate knowledge about folklore throughout the world.

City Lore

City Lore's mission is to foster New York's - and America's - living cultural heritage - through education and public programs.

Folk Alliance International

Folk Alliance International nurtures, engages and empowers the international folk music community — traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional — through education, advocacy and performance .

National Trust for Historic Preservation

This organization helps people protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them, and this site provides links to information and technical assistance.

Place Matters

Place Matters fosters the conservation of New York City's historically and culturally significant places using educational programs and advocacy to promote and protect these places and others like them.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Site for the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife and the home of Folkway Records where you can view and order hundreds of recordings from traditional cultures worldwide.

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

"Identity by Design: Tradition, Change and Celebration in Native Women's Dresses" presents a fascinating array of Native women's clothing from the Plains, Plateau and Great Basin regions of the United States and Canada, dating from the 1800s to the present. Be sure to check out the Resource link for a lesson plan dealing with traditional dress making on the Fort Peck reservation.

Veterans' History Project

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Western Folklife Center

The Western Folklife Center uses story and cultural expression to connect the American West to the world through exhibitions, educational programs, national radio and television programs, research and preservation projects, and their premier event, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and to explore and give voice to traditional and dynamic cultures of the American West.

Folklife Education

Folk Arts in Education

Folk Arts in Education: A Resource Handbook II, available as a download from this site, examines the state of folklife and folk arts in education projects around the U.S. with sample curricula from over 50 exemplary programs for youth in educational settings in K-12 schools, youth-serving organizations arts and humanities councils, museums, and cultural heritage and folk arts nonprofit organizations.

Joseph Campbell Folk School

John C. Campbell Folk School provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening. Located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing.

Learning Page

The Library of Congress Teacher Resources page offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching. Find Library of Congress lesson plans and more that meet Common Core standards, state content standards, and the standards of national organizations.

Montana Resources

Montana History Portal

The Montana History Portal is a statewide project of the Montana State Library and the Montana Historical Society Research Center that provides access to digital collections and items relating to Montana’s cultural heritage and government. These collections and items document the Montana experience, and serve as a resource for education, business, pleasure, and lifelong learning.

Museums Association of Montana

The Museums Association of Montana (MAM) promotes professionalism and cooperation among the Museums of Montana. MAM is an organization for all types of museums - art, history, science, general, and individuals who are interested in improving and strengthening Montana’s museums.

Additional Resources

Southern Highlands Craft Guild

The Southern Highland Craft Guild represents the historical crafts of southern Appalachia and cultivates the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation. SHCG educates the region and arts community on the importance of craft and its ability to impact the local creative economy. Through their retail locations, demonstrations, craft fairs, and special events, they promote the purpose and appreciation of makers and their craft.

Texas Folklife

Texas Folklife is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and presenting the diverse cultures and living heritage of the Lone Star State. Texas Folklife produces programs throughout the state that bring Texas traditions to life for new generations, including: performances, community residencies, exhibitions, education programs and curriculum materials, apprenticeships, radio and television projects.

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