The folk and traditional arts are artistic expressions of community life. A community is a group of people held together by common bonds such as shared beliefs, language, identity, ethnicity, occupation, recreational interests, and regional affiliation. In short, folk arts often reflect the shared values, identity and aesthetics of a community. 

Folk artists working within a community-based art form demonstrate a balance of individual creativity expressed within a collective arts tradition. Traditional artists usually learn informally through apprenticeships, imitation, and/or face-to face instruction, and folk arts are usually passed down from one generation to the next. There can be breaks in tradition when people migrate to new places or as a result of changing ways of life. Traditions adapt and grow over time, thus folk art can be a reflection of change and innovation as well. 

Examples of folk arts include pine-needle basket weaving, Native American beadwork, bowl hewing, Gulf Coast boatbuilding, southern food traditions, storytelling, blues music, hip hop music and dance, bluegrass fiddle playing, quilting, duck-call carving, leather working, blacksmithing, instrument making, Celtic dance, Chinese New Year celebrations, Delta cowboy traditions, Our Lady of Guadalupe dance processions, and many other material, festive, and performance-based forms of art. 

The master artist and their apprentice must apply together. The master artist should be recognized within their community as an accomplished artist within a community-based traditional art form. They should be active in the art form, either performing or creating new work on a regular basis. The master artist should have developed their skills through an informal, traditional manner rather than through formalized courses.

The apprentice should not be a beginning artist. Since the apprenticeship will take place over a short period of time, the apprentice should have enough experience in the art form to benefit from the intensive, one-on-one training. For example, an apprentice blues guitarist should be able to play well enough to work on more advanced techniques during the apprenticeship.

Preference will be given to master artists and apprentices who are members of the same community or cultural group. One of the desired outcomes of the program is to support the continuation of traditional art forms within the communities where they originated. Therefore, it is important that both the master artist and the apprentice have a deep understanding of and commitment to the culture that their art form reflects.

A panel of experts in various traditional art forms reviews the Apprenticeship applications. Applicants should address the following criteria in their application:

1. The master artist has demonstrated a mastery of their art form and an ability to pass on their traditional skills and techniques. (25 points)
2. Evidence that the master artist’s work is connected to a traditional art form. (15 points)
3. Evidence that the apprentice has a commitment and connection to the traditional art form. (15 points)
4. Evidence that the apprentice has a sufficient skill level to benefit from working with the master artist. (25 points)
5. The proposed apprenticeship activities are suited to the art form and achievable during the grant period. (20 points)

MAC gives funding priority to first-time applicants to the program that represent an underserved tradition.

The master artist and apprentice must apply together to the Apprenticeship program. Apply online through MAC’s E-Grant system. The application will require the following documentation:

• Folk Arts Apprenticeship Description Forms completed by both the master artist and the apprentice. Please provide as much information as you can about yourself and the proposed apprenticeship.

• One copy of work samples from both the master artist and the apprentice. The accepted formats are listed below.

• A description of the work samples, including title (if applicable), date of the performance or when the work was completed, and any other information necessary for describing them.

Please review the guides and video tutorials available on MAC’s Frequently Asked Questions page, then contact MAC staff if you have any questions.

Work Sample Format

If you have trouble uploading the work sample files to eGRANT, please consult the tutorials available in MAC’s Frequently Asked Questions before contacting MAC staff.

Both the master artist and apprentice are required to submit 3 samples each of their work.

• Performance-based Artists: Applicants such as traditional musicians or dancers should submit one copy of an audio or video recording demonstrating their performance ability. The recording must have been made within the last five years. Please submit the best quality recording of your work you have available. Musicians should include multiple songs on their sample, each demonstrating different aspects of their playing ability (for example, a fiddler would want to include a faster breakdown tune as well as a waltz to show the range of their playing). Files should be appropriately labeled with the applicant’s name and description of the performance (including song titles and type of song).
• Visual Artists: Applicants such as quilters or potters will be required to submit six digital images that feature work completed within the last five years. The images should be saved in JPEG format at 72dpi, with no image wider than 1240 pixels. The work must have been completed within the last three years. Please submit the best quality images that you have available.
• Foodways Artists: Foodways applicants should submit video files at least five-ten minutes in length that demonstrates their artist quality and the traditionality of their foodways practice. The recording should show the master artist (depending on length of process) preparing for or creating a dish they plan to teach the apprentice. As part of this demonstration, the Master Artist should include comments on the cultural importance of particular ingredients, techniques or elements of the recipe. The Master Artist should also speak to how/where they learned to prepare the respective dish. The recording must have been made within the last five years. Label the file with the applicant’s name and description of the foodways tradition (ie: canning, biscuit making, pig roasting, pecan pies, etc). Foodways apprentices must also submit one recording at least ten minutes in length. The recording should show the apprentice (depending on length of process) preparing for or creating a traditional dish which has inspired them to learn more about regional or ethnic cooking. The apprentice should speak to how/where they learned to prepare the respective dish, and why it has inspired them to further their knowledge of traditional foodways.

Work Sample File Types

Ineligible File Types: 

• Pages (.pages)
• Numbers (.numbers)
• Keynote (.key)

Video & Audio

• If you share media from your website, link directly to the video/audio rather than the home page.
• MAC recommends applicants upload using the following file types: MP3, MOV, MP4, WMV, WMA.
• MAC recommends applicants upload links to video or audio files. Applicants can link to websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, etc.

Images & Documents

• MAC recommends applicants upload using the following file types: Word (.doc or .docx), PDF (.pdf), or JPEG (.jpeg).
• You may upload links contained in a Word Document or PDF.

February 1 – Folk Arts Apprenticeship application opens

March 1 – Folk Arts Apprenticeship application deadline

April – Review of applications by the grant panel (the specific panel date will be available by late March. Applicants are allowed to attend panels.)

June – MAC Board meets and makes final funding decisions on all applications

July – Applicants are notified whether their application was funded or not. No information on the grants (including whether or not an applicant will be receiving an award or the amount of the award) will be available from MAC prior to this date.

Folk Arts Apprenticeships are paid in two equal installments:

• 50% of the grant award following receipt and approval of a properly signed contract;
• 50% of the grant award following receipt and approval of the final report.