Eight Selected for Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program

Four mentor artists have been selected to participate in the 2025-2026 Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts statewide apprenticeship program. The program, currently in its fifth year, funds teams of mentor artists and apprentices committed to sustaining their artistic traditions and cultural heritage. This year's mentor artists are Patricia Holland, Pete Howard, Anupriya Krishnan and Allison Williams.  

Teams are required to develop a work plan for the upcoming project year, meet with each other regularly over the course of the year and, finally, share their experience with their communities at the culmination of the project. 

Patricia "Sage" Holland will mentor Debbie Cochran in the traditional art of glass flamework bead making. Holland has been working with flamework glass beads as an artist and educator for more than 40 years.

Pete Howard will mentor Piper Hart in the traditional art of old-time Ozark fiddle techniques. Howard currently plays fiddle for the White River Warblers, an old-time string band that has played locally at jams, dances and potlucks for more than 20 years.

Anupriya Krishnan will mentor Sangramitra Reshmy in the traditional art of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance. Krishnan has been performing, choreographing and teaching this traditional practice for more than 30 years.

Allison Williams will mentor Elizabeth Scott in the tradition of clawhammer banjo techniques. Williams has been playing clawhammer banjo for more than 25 years, touring both nationally and internationally.

"Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is dedicated to creating opportunities that put resources and funding back into the hands of artists and tradition-bearers," said Lauren Willette, coordinator for the apprenticeship program. "One successful way to sustain traditional arts is by creating a pathway for master artists to pass down their knowledge through training programs like this one."  

Artists began their apprenticeships in December 2025 and will continue through June 2026. The next round of applications will be made available in June 2026 with a submission deadline of Aug. 31.     

Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is a statewide program of the University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections Division dedicated to documenting, presenting and sustaining Arkansas' living traditional arts and folklife. The Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program is supported by state partnership funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arkansas Arts Council.