Dear friends, Like many of our colleagues working in the arts, last Friday the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) received notification from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that a grant offer we accepted in December was being withdrawn. We were informed that our project did not align with the NEA’s new grantmaking policy priorities. This grant …
Read More »
The National begins its residency in Jackson from November 7-9, 2025. Performers represent a wide variety of traditions, from bluegrass to go-go to flamenco, and more. The National Folk Festival announced today the first group of artists who will be performing at the 82nd National Folk Festival in downtown Jackson from November 7-9, 2025. This year’s festival marks the first …
Read More »
The NCTA experienced a banner year across all of our longstanding programs in 2024. Over half a million people attended our festivals, and artists representing nearly 100 cultural traditions appeared at our events. We were proud to create, renew, and maintain relationships with community partners across the country. Browse the 2024 Annual Report to see highlights from our programs, and …
Read More »
Dear Friends, It has been a year of looking forward to new opportunities and challenges at the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). In May, we announced that the National Folk Festival will travel to Jackson, Mississippi, from 2025-27. For the first time, the nation’s premier celebration of the artistic traditions of all Americans will take place in the …
Read More »
Get a preview of the nation’s longest-running multicultural traditional arts celebration Jackson, MS — The National Folk Festival is excited to announce a special program, to be held November 16, 2024. The one-day kickoff event will provide a taste of what’s to come at the nation’s premier celebration of the artistic traditions of all Americans. It will feature an eclectic …
Read More »
The nation’s longest-running traditional arts event is coming to downtown Jackson. Jackson, MS — The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is excited to announce that Jackson has been named the official 2025-2027 National Folk Festival Host City. Jackson was among 42 cities nationwide that competed for the honor of hosting the nation’s preeminent traveling celebration of traditional arts …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
In 2023, the NCTA celebrated our 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 from our year …
Read More »
Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced today this year’s NEA National Heritage Fellows, recipients of our nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Every year since 1982, the NEA has presented this lifetime honor in recognition of individuals whose dedication and artistry contribute to the preservation and growth of the diverse cultural traditions that comprise …
Read More »
December 5, 2023 SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND – The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Blaine Waide has been selected as the organization’s new executive director. Waide joined the NCTA staff in 2013, starting as a member of the programming team and rising to a senior leadership position in 2018. Waide succeeds …
Read More »
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.