FOLKLIFE IN FOCUS – Folklife Resources 

Welcome to the Follow the Folklorist blog! Founded by Rebecca Snetlesaar and currently led by Nevada State Folklorist Brad McMullen, our blog is dedicated to exploring the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and celebrations that make Nevada such a vibrant state. Through our two main topics, Folklife in Focus and Notes from the Field, Brad will share his unique insights and experiences, providing a captivating glimpse into the diverse and fascinating world of Nevada folk traditions. Join us on this exciting journey as we delve into the stories, customs, and heritage that shape our state’s identity. Get ready to be inspired and amazed! 

Folklife Resources

Over the last several blog posts, I’ve talked about what folklife is, who does it, and some ways of categorizing it. To wrap that up, I figured I’d share some useful resources, whether you’re a traditional artist, looking to become one, or just interested in exploring the topic more.  

Nevada Arts Council Resources  

Are you a traditional artist looking to support your work? Is someone interested in preserving your community’s traditions or looking to learn them yourself? In that case, the Nevada Arts Council is here to provide financial support. We offer two different folklife grants – the Folklife Artist Grant and the Folklife Community Grant. As you might guess, the Folklife Artist Grant is for individual artists looking to teach, learn, or present some form of traditional arts, while the Folklife Community Grant is for nonprofit organizations wanting to host an event featuring their community’s traditional art practices. Funding is distributed on a rolling basis, so if you’ve got a project that will be wrapped up before June 30, feel free to check out the FY25 Grant Offerings for more information. Otherwise, take a look at the FY26 Grant Offerings for more details.  

We also offer the Nevada Heritage Fellowship as an award to distinguished traditional artists and culture bearers in Nevada. The state version of the National Heritage Fellowship, we accept applications for the 2026 Nevada Heritage Fellow until May 1 at 5 p.m. Our current Nevada Heritage Fellow is Iyana Esters.  

Documentation Resources  

If you’re looking for a good book about folklife and traditional arts, I recommend Lynne McNeill’s Folklore Rules. It’s a good introduction to the topic and covers what I’ve been covering in more detail without being overwhelming. And if you want to dive in and do some work to document your community’s traditions, a great resource to get started is the Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interview Guide. That’ll give you an overview of how to interview traditional bearers about their traditions and document the information for use in the future.  

And if you’re interested in Nevada Folklife documentation that’s already been done, this is the place to find it. You can find old Folklife Publications to read or check out the Nevada Folklife Archives. There are also other resources on the topic, like the American Folklife Center’s Nevada collection, our State Museums and Historical Society, and organizations like the Western Folklife Center.  

This is a quick one, but hopefully still useful! If you’ve been reading, I’d love to hear your thoughts and what you’d like to hear about in the future. Would you prefer more general information about what traditions are? Or do you want more specific deep dives into Nevada’s different cultures and traditions? Please let me know at bmcmullen@nevadaculture.org. 

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Visit the Nevada Folklife Archives on Flickr