Home » Kentucky Arts Council accepting applications for folk and traditional arts apprenticeship grant

Kentucky Arts Council accepting applications for folk and traditional arts apprenticeship grant

artist-paintbrushesFRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 27, 2014) – The Kentucky Arts Council is accepting applications until Feb. 15, 2014, for the Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant.

The grant provides up to $3,000 for master folk artists to teach the skills, practices and culture of Kentucky’s living traditional arts to less experienced artists who are part of the same community.

Master artists and apprentices must apply together and both be residents of Kentucky. A master artist can practice any traditional art form (music, dance, craft, ceremonial art, storytelling, etc.) learned in his or her community.

“The Kentucky Arts Council has supported the continuation of the state’s folk arts and cultural traditions for more than 20 years through this program,” said Lori Meadows, arts council executive director. “We encourage artists who are interested in furthering specific art forms with relevance and importance to their communities to apply for this opportunity.”

Master artists and tradition-bearers are exemplary representatives of a folk group’s art forms. Their “master” status is determined by other members of the group. The master artist must excel in the art form and demonstrate an effective teaching plan. The apprentice must possess skill in the art form and the potential to share, teach and continue the art form.

Master folk musician and Reel World String Band member Sue Massek, of Willisburg, received an apprenticeship grant in fiscal year 2014 to work with Erin Fitzgerald, of Louisville, a musician who is committed to representing Massek’s tradition of telling stories with songs.
 Massek’s work with Fitzgerald gave her the opportunity to pass down artistic knowledge she learned from other masters.

“I feel so blessed that so many folk musicians have taken the time and trouble to work with me in some way,” said Massek. “I am driven to pass those things on. I don’t want to just let it be a dead end.”

The Feb. 15 deadline is for apprenticeships that will occur between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015.

For more information about the Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant, contact Mark Brown, Folk and Traditional Arts Program director, at [email protected] or 502-564-3757, ext. 495. For more information about the grant or to view the guidelines, visit the program website.