Supporting Mentor-Apprentice relationships that cross state borders in Central Appalachia.
View Full GuidelinesThe deadline to apply for this program has passed. The guidelines below are for reference only.
South Arts is pleased to announce the In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture – 2020 Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice Program. This program is specifically designed to support mentor artist and apprentice relationships that cross state borders in order to develop shared cultural heritage in Central Appalachia. Individual folk and traditional arts mentor artists from Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia will partner with apprentices from ARC counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. The applying mentor and apprentice must reside in different states. These collaborations will preserve and pass on the traditions of their local communities and shared culture of Central Appalachia through informal education.
The mentor artist should be an individual who possesses exemplary knowledge and skill, is recognized by their cultural community for their contributions, and has demonstrated long-term practice and expertise of their art form or cultural practice. The mentor artist should also have a demonstrated ability to teach. The apprentice should already be a practitioner of the same skill or art form as the mentor and have the long-term goal of continuing in the tradition and teaching others in the future. The mentor-apprentice team will apply as a team to work together for a 9-month period beginning mid-September 2020.
The 2020 Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice Program will provide a $3,500 honorarium to the mentor artist for their time and expertise and to cover teaching expenses such as supplies and equipment. The apprentice will receive a $1,500 stipend for supplies, minor equipment, and fund travel to the mentor artist’s home, workshop or other designated sites. Three awards will be given to mentor artists from eligible counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia who apply with an apprentice from an eligible ARC county in a different state. The applying mentor and apprentice must reside in different states, as opportunities already exist for mentors and apprentices who live in the same state to work with one another. *
*Please note: This program is an expansion of the In These Mountains Apprenticeships provided by Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee’s state arts agencies. Mentor-apprentice opportunities are also available through the Virginia and West Virginia state humanities agencies. Visit these state agency websites for more information about your local program.
The South is home to an abundance of folk and traditional art forms. Folk and traditional arts share the aesthetics, practices and values of families, geographic communities, occupational groups, ethnic heritage groups, etc. Folk and traditional arts are learned orally, or by observation and imitation, often through a mentor artist instructing an apprentice. They are usually maintained without formal instruction or academic training. Some traditional arts have a deep-rooted history with little change, while others are constantly evolving and adapting to their changing environment. For the purposes of this application, the folk and traditional arts of Central Appalachia include music, crafts, occupational techniques, foodways, dance, and oral traditions such as storytelling.
Applications are now open through July 15, 2020.
The following categories provide examples, though not exhaustive, of traditional art forms in Central Appalachia. Preference will be given to music, dance, foodways, or tactile arts.
Ineligible art forms and activities include the work of contemporary studio craft artists, professional teachers, historical recreations and copies of antiques, and revivals by mentor artists from outside of the activity’s originating cultural community.
Mentor artist and apprentice teams applying for the Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice Program must:
Mentor artist and apprentice teams that are selected for the Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice Program will be expected to:
Applications must be completed and submitted by both the mentor artist and the apprentice. The components of the application are as follows:
Personal Information
As part of the application form, you will be required to include personal information such as contact information, birth year, birthplace, gender identity, and race/ethnicity. Demographic information is for South Arts’ use only; this information will not be shared with the panelists. South Arts may share your contact information (only) with art professionals, such as curators and journalists who wish to be in direct contact with you, as requested.
Mentor Artist Application
The applying mentor artist will provide their information and respond to the following prompts:
Apprentice Application
The applying apprentice will provide their personal information and respond to the following prompts:
Work Plan
The applying mentor artist and apprentice will complete this section together. The work plan must be signed and dated by both artists.
Budget
The budget will be used to evaluate the level of preparation and feasibility of the proposed apprenticeship. The applying mentor artist and apprentice will complete this section together. You will be asked to estimate costs of supplies, travel, etc. over the course of the apprenticeship period.
Work Samples
Work samples will be used to evaluate artistic merit or quality of cultural achievement. Both the mentor artist and apprentice must submit work samples.
Support Materials (Optional)
Support materials are optional, but strongly encouraged. These materials may be letters of support, newspaper articles, flyers or other supplemental materials. These can be submitted as .pdf files or hardcopies. Please, submit no more than five documents.
You must be a current legal resident of one of the following counties for a period of two years prior to the application due date. Applicants will be asked to submit proof of residency later in the process, in order to confirm eligibility.
Completed applications, including work samples, may be submitted either electronically (by 11:59 p.m. EST) or physically via mail (postmarked) by the extended deadline of July 15, 2020. The application must be signed and dated by the artists.
Digital applications can be submitted online through our form.
Please note: When using the online application form, please utilize the ‘save and resume’ option at the bottom of each page to ensure your work has been saved.
Physical applications should be mailed to:
Attn: Amy Howard
South Arts
1800 Peachtree St., NW, Ste. 808
Atlanta, GA 30309
Panelist Review: An independent panel consisting of folklorists and traditional and folk art specialists will conduct the review, evaluating each application by the criteria as follows:
Applicants will receive notification of their award status by late August 2020. Three Mentor-Apprentice teams will be funded. The 2020 awards of $3,500 per mentor and $1,500 per apprentice are to be used between July 2020 and July 2021.
Mentor-Apprentice recipients should note award money constitutes taxable income and must be filed as such.
Once you have reviewed the guidelines above, you may begin your application for the Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice program.
Apply TodayContact Teresa Hollingsworth or Amy Howard of the Traditional Arts team to discuss your application.
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