1. The Festival is a major activity of the Smithsonian its
museum without walls. Festival Origin Take the instruments out of
their cases and let them sing! S. Dillon Ripley, Smithsonian
Secretary, 1967 Festival Purpose The Festival is a means of
conserving and promoting a living cultural heritage. Ralph Rinzler,
Festival Founding Director, 1968 2. An educational exhibition of
living cultural heritage Based upon research and collaboration Held
outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Held every summer
for 10 days overlapping the Fourth of July Free to the public
Hundreds of thousands of U.S. and international visitors 3.
Folklife Festival Site 4. Promotes the understanding and continuity
of diverse, contemporary, grassroots cultural traditions in the
United States and throughout the world Works collaboratively with
exemplary artists, cultural communities, scholars, leaders, and
various sectors of society Demonstrates the importance of respect
for cultural heritage 5. At the Festival, each program has its own
spaceabout 2 or 3 football fields and themes Artists, musicians,
and culture bearers perform, cook, demonstrate, narrate, and
illustrate 6. 2015 Per 2014 China, Kenya 2013 Hungary, Endangered
Languages, The Will to Adorn 2012 Citified, Campus and Community,
Creativity and Crisis 2011 Colombia, Peace Corps, Rhythm &
Blues Music 2010 Mxico, Asian Pacific Americans, Smithsonian Inside
Out 2009 Giving Voice, Las Amricas, Wales 2008 Bhutan, NASA, Texas
2007 Northern Ireland, Mekong River Region, Roots of Virginia 2006
Alberta, Latino Chicago, Native Basketry, New Orleans Music 2005
Oman, Forest Service, Food Culture USA, Latino Music 2004 Haiti,
Latino Music, Mid-Atlantic Maritime 2003 Mali, Scotland, Appalachia
2002 Silk Road [28 nations] 2001 Bermuda, New York City, Building
Arts 2000 Tibetan Culture, Washington, D.C., El Rio 1999 South
Africa, New Hampshire, Romania 1998 Philippines, Baltic Nations,
Wisconsin 1997 Mississippi Delta, Sacred Music, African Immigrants
Festival Programs, 1997-2015 7. Took place over course of two years
Efforts of over 25 folklorists and researchers Travelled for 10
months across state Research now held in New Hampshire State
Council on the Arts 8. 140 performers, traditional craftsmen, and
occupational specialists 60-70 additional participants on special
event days: Old Home Day and Franco-American Heritage Day 9.
Themes: Diversity in Music Home, Town, and Community Ingenuity and
Enterprise Seasonal Work and Recreation Farm, Forest, Mountain, and
Sea Six venues: Town Hall Music Stage Front Porch Stage New
Hampshire Kitchen Summer Camp Mill Stage Political Traditions
Agricultural Arena 10. Bringing Folklife into the Classroom
Co-sponsored by Smithsonian Office of Education 30 Celebrate New
Hampshire Fellows (educators from NH) Conducted living research
with Festival participants from New Hampshire Three days in-service
training on how to research living traditions Observed, interacted
with, and documented Festival participants Share training in home
state both online and in-service workshops Partnered with
University of New Hampshires New England Folklife Institute, New
Hampshire Public Television, and New Hampshire State Council on the
Arts 11. Folkways Recording 12. Post-Festival Maintained strong
professional and personal relationship with Lynn Martin following
the festival 13. Five days on Hopkinton state fairgrounds 35,000
attended 10,000 students in grades K-12 attended in first three
days Largest celebration of New Hampshire culture in state Added
two themes: Celebrate Our History Partnerships for Community
Service 14. Built Website using research for and from SFF Compiled
and maintained lists of artists in New Hampshire for classrooms and
other programming, based on research This list helped build
educational programs and a robust Apprenticeship program, both of
which have been sustained over the years 15.
http://www.nh.gov/folklife/ Explore the states living heritage Easy
access to artist information, apprenticeship grants Blogs featuring
new projects 16. Educational Programs On Website: Learning
Activities, Essays, Teaching Artist list 17. Teaching artists work
in schools throughout New Hampshire Demonstrations and performances
on traditional knowledge and skills Experiential learning for
children Support traditional school curriculum Alice Ogden,
traditional black ash basket maker, working with 5th and 6th grade
students at Madison Elementary School in Madison, NH. 18. Lynn
Martin Coordinator during the 1999 Folklife Festival Help cement
New Hampshires artistic and cultural landscape Later became Acting
Director at NH State Council of the Arts, now retired 19. Julianne
Morse Current Coordinator Expanding upon programs initiated during
the Festival Oversees grants, fieldwork, research, special
initiatives, and professional development 20. Evaluation/Reflection
Journals Improved presentation New ideas What I found important was
how these conversations with artists, advocates, and citizens
enhanced the demonstrations and performances at the festival.
Inspired by my experience at the Folklife Festival, I began
executing a plan to bring panel discussion to the Canterbury
Artisan Festival. I also gained a deepened appreciation for use of
text panels in adding depth and context to demonstrations,
particularly with language barriers, and joining parts of the
exhibit into a whole overarching theme. participant in Sharing Our
Heritage professional development workshop series. 21.
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