The Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Community Scholars program is a free training opportunity for anyone interested in finding, documenting and presenting community culture, folklife and traditional arts. Typically hosted twice per year in counties across Arkansas, the fall 2023 cohort will be fully digital. Both Arkansans and Missourians can register for the program, which will be offered Sept. 12 through Nov. 21 in partnership with the Missouri Folk Arts Program.
“It’s such a pleasure to be able to bring this program to new communities throughout Arkansas and now Missouri,” said Virginia Siegel, director for Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts. “This upcoming program marks our seventh iteration of the training series, and we’re excited to partner with Missouri Folk Arts. We recognize and honor that traditions and communities are often not bounded by state lines, so we’re happy to widen our audience while continuing to grow a truly inspiring group of Community Scholars program alumni across the state of Arkansas.”
This program consists of six training sessions, with one session held every other week. Participants will gain skills in documenting and researching culture, archiving and presenting research, and developing projects in collaboration with community stakeholders and organizations. During the program, participants will develop ideas for a project to practice the skills learned. Participants are required to commit to the entire training series.
“The Community Scholars Program sessions were enjoyable and informative to me in my role at the museum — especially the discussions on exhibit labels, oral interviewing techniques and digital content,” said Mary Clark, a spring 2022 Community Scholars Program alumna and board member of the Eddie Mae Herron Center in Pocahontas. “The instructors were extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun.”
This training opportunity is free and open to the public. Contact Lauren Willette at willette@uark.edu or 479-575-4664 with questions or help with the registration process.
Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is a statewide program of the University of Arkansas Libraries dedicated to building cross-cultural understanding by documenting, presenting and sustaining Arkansas’ living traditional arts and cultural heritage.