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.
Festivals & Events
In March, we return to Wolf Trap for the first time in several decades, with an evening that spotlights some of southwest Virginia’s best old-time musicians. We are excited to bring Music from the Crooked Road to The Barns at Wolf Trap, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Crooked Road—southwest Virginia’s “heritage music trail.”
Also this spring, the tribute videos of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellows will debut online—follow us on social media so you don’t miss these compelling portraits. And don’t forget to check out the newly announced class of 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellows. Stay tuned for announcements about how they will be celebrated in the fall.
In July we partner once again on the Montana Folk Festival and the Lowell Folk Festival, and then in September—on a one-time-only new date—we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Richmond Folk Festival. These uplifting and joyous events uniquely expand horizons and build bridges across cultures by creating dynamic encounters between diverse artists and audiences. Stay tuned for developments about the National Folk Festival. We hope you can join us throughout the year as the NCTA celebrates our nation’s finest traditional artists!
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Music from the Crooked Road at The Barns at Wolf Trap
Vienna, Virginia
March 23, 2024
Montana Folk Festival
Butte, Montana
July 12-14, 2024
Lowell Folk Festival
Lowell, Massachusetts
July 26-28, 2024
NEA National Heritage Fellowships
Washington, D.C.
September 2024
Richmond Folk Festival
Richmond, Virginia
September 27-29, 2024
2023 Annual Report
In 2023, the NCTA celebrated its 90th anniversary. We are proud that our commitment to celebrating traditional arts remains steadfast. These are the vibrant, varied, living treasures of the American people, and they play a central role in the health of American communities. Just shy of half a million people attended NCTA-affiliated events in 2023!
Explore highlights in our 2023 annual report
Celebrating 20 Years of the Richmond Folk Festival
Richmond, Virginia, hosted the National Folk Festival from 2005-07. IN 2008, it became the locally produced Richmond Folk Festival, considered the crown jewel of the Richmond cultural calendar, and one of Virginia’s most-loved music festivals. The festival generates $37 million in economic impact annually, and in 2022 drew a record-breaking audience of 230,000 people. In 2024, the Richmond Folk Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary. In the National Folk Festival’s long history, its residency in Richmond has been one of the NCTA’s most successful community collaborations. Watch the video to learn more about this incredible event!
Support our Future
Now in our 10th decade, the NCTA’s impact has been deeply felt across the country as we celebrate and honor deeply rooted cultural expressions while transforming communities culturally, socially and economically.
Your gift will support and sustain the dynamic programs you love, honoring America’s living cultural treasure, now and into the future.
