Central Appalachia Living Traditions

Central Appalachia Living Traditions 
Dedicated funding opportunities for folk and traditional arts activities in Ohio’s Appalachian counties 

The Ohio Arts Council partners with Mid Atlantic Arts on Central Appalachia Living Traditions (CALT). CALT promotes the understanding and recognition of folk arts and culture in Appalachian counties of Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia through a three-part program that invests in folk arts communities while seeding new folk and traditional arts experiences and honoring underrecognized practitioners of traditions across the region. 

Rooted Traditions
Talcon Quinn and Claira Haizlett’s documentary film will highlight elders who used folk healing modalities in SE Ohio in an era that lacked widespread access to healthcare.
Las Culturas
Southern Ohio Folklife’s bilingual podcast will share oral histories and contemporary lifeways of Latin Americans living in southern Ohio.

CALT’s three program areas are: 

Recognizing Folk Arts & Culture Champions: A series of folk arts and culture fellowship programs that honor underrecognized tradition bearers through award events that engage the community to celebrate culture and heritage. Each fellowship includes a financial award that encourages recipients to continue their work passing on artistic skill and cultural knowledge to a younger generation. 

Folk & Traditional Arts Experiences: Funding for public-facing projects and events that bring community members together around folk and traditional arts practice and cultural knowledge. Non-profit organizations and folk and traditional artists/practitioners in the ARC-designated Appalachian counties of Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia are eligible to apply for grant amounts from $1,000 to $10,000. No match is required.  

Folk Arts & Culture Anchor Community Anchors Initiative: This comprehensive program provides targeted resources and support to select community anchors of folk arts and culture in the region with the goal of dramatically impacting the sustainability of traditional practice and cultural knowledge. Participant communities will be identified in consultation with our State Folklife Program partners and other constituents. 
 
Learn more about Central Appalachia Living Traditions at https://www.midatlanticarts.org/grants-programs/central-appalachia-living-traditions/.  

Underground Railroad Museum
The Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing will host a community dinner and show sharing local history and global traditions.
Sustainable music
The People’s Bank Theatre in Marietta will host a series of hands-on workshops to learn and study songs of the Appalachian region.

Questions can be directed to Cristina Benedetti, OAC Folk &Traditional Arts Contractor at cristina.benedetti@oac.ohio.gov

Find Artists by County

Ohio Folk & Traditional Arts - Ohio Arts Council Ohio Folk & Traditional Arts - National Endowment for the Arts Ohio Folk & Traditional Arts - ThinkTV