The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) The NCTA is the nation’s oldest multicultural arts presenting organization. For over eight decades, through festivals, tours, symposia, exhibits, and media productions, the NCTA has showcased the very best of the myriad grassroots folk, tribal and ethnic cultures that comprise our diverse nation.
Fall is an exciting time for the NCTA! September is all things National Heritage Fellows—on September 23, find us at the Reston Multicultural Festival, where we have facilitated the involvement of the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) National Heritage Fellows for the past decade. This year’s program includes Wayne Henderson (1995), Roen Hufford (2023), Tsering Wangmo of Chaksam-pa (2022), and the Legendary Ingramettes (2022).
At the end of the month, we celebrate this year’s class of National Heritage Fellows—and more—when they travel to Washington, D.C., for honorific events and activities. New this year, the NEA is holding a public screening of select vignettes at the National Museum of the American Indian, followed by a panel discussion with eight recent Fellows, where attendees have the chance to learn about the diversity of Native stories and practices through the eyes of these recent recipients. The awards ceremony on the following day will celebrate this year’s class, along with the classes from 2020, 2021, and 2022, who were unable to be honored in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October, we return once again to Richmond, Virginia, for the Richmond Folk Festival—this thriving legacy festival celebrates their 19th year, annually drawing over 200,000 visitors to Downtown Richmond’s riverfront! Look for more special programs in November, part of National Treasures: A Tour of Culture Bearers in National Parks, as we build on our first year of connecting Fellows with signature National Parks. And in National Folk Festival news, we received exciting proposals from possible host communities from across the country and are busy reviewing applications. We can’t wait to share more news.
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Fall Calendar
WHAT: Native Art Making in Place
WHEN: September 28, 2023, 3:00-4:30pm
WHERE: National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C., and streamed online at arts.gov/heritage.
WHAT: National Heritage Fellowship Awards Ceremony
WHEN: September 29, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm
WHERE: Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium, Washington, D.C., and streamed online at arts.gov/heritage.
WHAT: Richmond Folk Festival
WHEN: October 13-15, 2023
WHERE: Richmond, Virginia
WHAT: Ezequiel Torres at CultureFest 305, HistoryMiami
WHEN: November 4, 2023
WHERE: Miami, Florida
WHAT: TahNibaa Naataanii at Canyon de Chelly National Monument
WHEN: November 11, 18, 25, 2023
WHERE: Chinle, Arizona
The NCTA turns 90 this year—help support our next 90 years!
We are celebrating 90 Years of sharing the world-class programming you have come to love and expect that honors the folk and traditional arts.
Please join us in marking this achievement, and support our work in future decades, through a contribution to our special 90 Years giving campaign!
Photo Galleries
Couldn’t attend one of our programs in the spring or summer? Attended, but want to re-live some of the magic? Peruse our photo albums at the links below. All photos by Remsberg, Inc.
National Heritage Fellows from Louisiana across Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
A Special Evening Honoring National Heritage Fellow Yary Livan at Lowell National Historical Park
Michael Cleveland at the Blue Ridge Music Center
Karen Ann Hoffman at Pipestone National Monument
