The Folklife Program supports the work of folk artists and organizations representing cultural communities in the state of Nevada. The Folklife program components serve artists and organizations through grant funding, exhibitions, and technical assistance.

Programs & Services

Exhibitions

The Folklife Program curates exhibitions that highlight folk arts, artists, and cultural communities within Nevada.

Find Your Folklife Exhibit

The Find Your Folklife Exhibit was a result of the Friends and Neighbors Initiative. The Friends and Neighbors Initiative is about you—your family, your neighbors, your friends, your community. It’s also about us—who we are as Nevadans navigating the challenges and opportunities of the 21^st Century. Over three years, the Folklife Program photographed Nevadans—your friends and neighbors—as they appear when representing cultural identity and as they appear in their everyday lives at home, on the job, or enjoying recreational activities. — View the exhibition.

Rural Moments

Since 1985, the Nevada Arts Council’s Folklife Program has sought to document traditional culture throughout the state. Folk Arts Coordinator Blanton Owen and Folklorists Andrea Graham, Mike Luster, and Debbie Nolan traveled the state documenting people, places, and traditions. These photos presented as part of the Rural Moments exhibit are a small portion of their work in rural Nevada between 1985 and 1989. — View the exhibition.

The Nevada Folklife Archives

Since its inception in 1985 the Nevada Arts Council’s Folklife Program has documented the existence and development of Nevada’s diverse geographical and cultural communities and its resident folk artists. Today the Folklife Archives constitute a significant intellectual, historical and educational resource with relevance to many fields of inquiry. It is a dynamic fieldwork collection that continues to grow and change with new and ongoing research. Its content includes original photography generated by the agency’s staff folklorists and their contractors. — View the Nevada Folklife Archives.

For research assistance, please contact the Folklife Specialist, Brad McMullen.

Folklife MEDIA Series

Publications

Since the 1990s, the Nevada Folklife Program has produced 15 publications including gallery notes, essays, and more. View the online directory and digital editions of publications here.

Home Means Nevada, 1986: Folklife in the Silver State

This 13-part radio series from 1986 presents vignettes of Nevada’s multifaceted folk culture. The shows were produced from recordings made on location—in folk artists’ homes, places of work, and at public gatherings. From the making of neon signs to the construction of Shoshone cradleboards, from Basque dance music to buckaroo poetry, the cultural diversity of Nevada is only hinted at in this series— Learn more.

Nevada Stories

Nevada Stories is an online video series focusing on folk and traditional artists, local traditions, and Nevada’s landscape. An outreach activity of the NAC Folklife Program, it supports the Nevada Arts Council’s mission to provide folklife education to all age groups and to highlight the folk artists, traditional communities, and cultural sites that make Nevada distinctive. Filming and production have been funded through Folk and Traditional Arts grants from the National Endowment for the Arts— Learn more.

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Funding Opportunities

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Follow the Folklorists

Read below for more information on what makes Nevada such a vibrant state.

Folklife in Focus

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 […]

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FOLKLIFE IN FOCUS – What are Oral Traditions and Performing Arts 

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 […]

Read More

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