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.
Work in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area
Though the NCTA’s activities are national in scope, the Council is also deeply engaged locally, and strives to contribute significantly to cultural life in its home state of Maryland and surrounding areas.
The NCTA produces major local events, both independently and in cooperation with other organizations, brings its traditional arts touring programs to local concert audiences and schools, and provides consultative services and production assistance to other institutions. The NCTA provides performance opportunities, national exposure and career development support to area traditional artists. It is working to digitize and preserve its archive of endangered audio recordings, which are of historical significance to the state, region and nation.
The NCTA works closely with the Maryland State Arts Council’s (MSAC) Folklife Program, and is an official partner of Maryland Traditions, the MSAC’s infrastructure/partnership initiative to document and sustain the state’s living traditions.
Maryland Traditions Partnership
Other Local Programs and Services
The NCTA is funded by an operating grant from the
Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating
a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
