The Folklife + Traditional Arts program focuses on promoting and presenting the lively cultural traditions of the nation’s fourth largest metropolitan area. The program works in the city’s diverse neighborhoods and communities to explore and highlight the contemporary traditions that make Houston one of the most vibrant urban landscapes in the United States.

The folk and traditional arts are deeply rooted in a community’s identity and built around such factors as shared ethnic heritage, language, religion, occupation or sense of place. Genres of artistic activity that arise within these communities include, but are not limited to, music, dance, crafts, storytelling and other forms of oral expression. These vital and constantly reinvigorated artistic traditions are shaped by commonly-held values and standards of excellence that are passed from generation to generation, most often within family and community, through demonstration, conversation and practice.

The program’s goals include research, documentation and public projects that explore the wide variety of established and emerging cultural communities that come together in the greater Houston area. The program also provides technical assistance and resources to local traditional artists, engages in collaborations with colleague organizations, and markets the city’s rich and diverse culture to locals and visitors alike.

For more information, contact Pat Jasper at pat@haatx.com or 713.527.9330.