Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Accepting Apprenticeship Applications

Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is currently accepting applications for the Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. An Intent to Apply form must be submitted by August 31.

The Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program funds teams of mentor artists and apprentices who are committed to sustaining their artistic traditions and cultural heritage. 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. By providing funds up to $3,000, this award honors and supports the master traditional artists who dedicate their time to pass their skills and knowledge on to apprentices over an extended period of time.

Scarlet Sims, Program Coordinator at the Arkansas Arts Council, noted the importance of apprenticeship programs like this one, explaining, "Traditional arts apprenticeships are vital for showcasing, supporting and perpetuating Arkansas's living arts, heritage, traditions and cultures — from Marshallese canoe making in the Ozarks to the blues music of the Delta. These apprenticeships forge strong bonds between master craftspeople and those willing to learn and foster resilient relationships that preserve folkways for the next generation."

Full program information, guidelines, and application instructions are available through the program website. 

About Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts: Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts (AFTA) is a department of University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections Division serving the land grant mission of the University of Arkansas. AFTA is dedicated to documenting, presenting, and sustaining Arkansas’ living traditional arts and folklife.

About the University Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university’s main research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.1 million volumes and more than 180,000 journals and offer research assistance, study spaces, computer labs with printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibits and events. The Libraries’ Special Collections division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials on Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries’ website at libraries.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy  through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.