Newsroom

2016 National Heritage Fellowships

Taking place in our nation’s capital, the NEA National Heritage Fellowship awards ceremony and concert honors extraordinary practitioners of the folk and traditional arts in the United States. You can read more about this marvelous event here, and while you’re at it check out the newly designed medal for these artists! The medal combines craft traditions of two 1982 Fellows, …

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National Folk Festival Announces 2016 Estimated Attendance

Celebrating its second year in Greensboro, free weekend-long event again broke attendance records Greensboro, N.C., September 27, 2016 — Over 138,000 people are estimated to have attended the 76th National Folk Festival in downtown Greensboro from September 9 through 11, 2016, the second year of the Festival’s three-year residency in Greensboro. Attendance for the 75th National Folk Festival in 2015 …

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Apply to host the 2018-2020 National Folk Festivals!

If you are interested in bringing America’s premier traveling celebration of traditional arts and culture to your community, we look forward to hearing from you. Applications to host the 2018-2020 National Folk Festivals are now being accepted. Download the National Folk Festival 2018-2020 brochure here. For additional information on hosting the National Folk Festival, please call or write to: National …

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Henderson Guitar Silent Auction on June 7

JUST ANNOUNCED – Silent Auction for a rare Wayne C. Henderson guitar On June 7, those attending the Masters of the Steel String Guitar concert at The Hamilton will have the unprecedented opportunity to bid on a Wayne C. Henderson 00-18 acoustic guitar with the entire proceeds of the silent auction to benefit the National Council for the Traditional Arts …

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Watch: Musicians Appearing at June 7 Concert

Jerry Douglas, Albert Lee, and Wayne Henderson, participants in previous Masters of the Steel String Guitar tours, will be reuniting in D.C. this June for a concert to benefit the NCTA. Joining them will be The Harris Brothers, Marquise Knox, and Presley Barker, along with special guests Kitty Amaral, Dudley Connell, and Phil Wiggins. Check out this playlist we’ve put together of …

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June 7: Artists Gather for NCTA Benefit Concert in D.C.

The Masters of the Steel String Guitar concert reunites three of the original artists who participated in the NCTA’s legendary tours of the same name a quarter century ago: Jerry Douglas, Albert Lee, and Wayne Henderson, who now stand at the pinnacle of their respective musical worlds. It also introduces some amazing younger players, just as the tours of the …

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First Performer Details Announced for 76th National Folk Festival

First Performer Details Announced for 76th National Folk Festival, Celebrating Its Second Year in North Carolina from September 9 – 11, 2016 After a spectacular debut in 2015, Festival attendance expected to grow by up to 30% Greensboro, N.C., February 9, 2016 — The National Folk Festival announced today the first group of artists who will be performing in downtown …

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NCTA featured in NEA’s 50th Anniversary Milestone Series

As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ ongoing celebration of its 50th anniversary, the agency has created a “Milestones” video series for its 50th anniversary website. These videos look at important artists and organizations that the NEA has supported over the years and the impact they have made on U.S. culture. The NCTA’s National Folk Festival, the nation’s …

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The National Folk Festival Announces 2015 Schedule

Forty artists and groups will perform on seven outdoor stages during the National Folk Festival, presented by Belk, which is coming to downtown Greensboro from September 11 – 13, 2015 Greensboro, N.C., August 14, 2015 — The National Folk Festival today announced its complete 2015 performance schedule. For its 75th anniversary, the National Folk Festival, presented by Belk, will feature …

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