Emerging Traditional Artists Program

Detailed Program Description

South Arts is pleased to announce the In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture – FY24 Emerging Traditional Artists Program (ETAP). This program recognizes and supports a new generation of traditional artists that have demonstrated a high level of skill in, commitment to, and leadership in their traditional art form in Appalachian Regional Commission counties. NEW THIS CYCLE: In addition to emerging artists from ARC counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee, ETAP is expanding to support artists from AL, GA, MS, and SC. Awards provide financial support to ETAP participants to ensure the continuation of traditional knowledge and artistic skills within their respective cultural communities.

The FY24 ETAP will award $5,000 grants (with limited restrictions) to participants for learning opportunities including training, networking, and promotion. These opportunities should equip traditional artists to provide greater impact within their communities. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, South Arts urges potential applicants to consider safe, socially distanced opportunities.

In addition to cash awards, selected individuals will be required to participate in a series of networking and team-building workshops (both online and in-person) with other ETAP awardees, at no cost to themselves, between December 2023 and June 2024. Pending additional funding, the ETAP may extend for additional cycles and opportunities for program participation. Awards will be granted to emerging traditional artists from eligible counties in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee with an anticipated maximum of eleven awards.

What are folk and traditional arts?

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, handcrafts/material culture, and foodways. Some examples of traditional arts practiced in Central Appalachia are Cherokee stamped pottery, African American buck dancing/clogging, Anglo American ballads, Latin American foodways traditions, Bharatanatyam Indian dance, Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, seed saving/seed sharing, and many more.

Program Goals

The Emerging Traditional Artists Program advances the purpose of the In These Mountains initiative to “provide intergenerational opportunities to share, teach, learn, preserve, document, and carry forward the folk and traditional arts and culture of Central Appalachia.” For emerging traditional artists who have demonstrated a commitment to their artform and community and exhibit a high skill level, this award will provide them with resources to engage in learning opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible.

A learning opportunity can take many forms. Here are a few examples:

• Online opportunities for continuing education and collaboration.
• Establishing/growing network by traveling within the Appalachian region or beyond to meet other leaders/potential mentors in your art form.
• Taking courses and purchasing software/hardware needed to build an effective online presence.

Ultimately, each of the awardees has the freedom to determine their own learning opportunity—on their own or, if they wish, with assistance from South Arts staff and/or mentors/leaders within their own communities. 

Over the course of the six-month award period December 2023-June 2024), recipients will participate in at least one in-person, three virtual workshops, and a site visit from South Arts staff or other representative that will include documentation (recorded interview and photographs) about their art and the learning experience resulting from their ETAP award. Funding has limited restrictions, and awardees are not required to submit a final report, produce a commissioned work, or engage in any public program.

Through the series of convenings, the ETAP program is designed to build long-term relationships between emerging traditional artists across the region, beyond state and local boundaries, through:

• Building a cohort of emerging traditional artists in Central Appalachia who are committed to the advancement of folk and traditional arts.
• Encouraging and equipping artists to be advocates for their traditional art forms and for the traditional culture of their communities.
• Deepening participants’ understanding of the importance of public arts support in the United States. 

Awardees will sign letter of commitment expressing their intention to participate in ETAP and to attend convenings.

New applicants are encouraged to contact Teresa Hollingsworth at 404.874.7244 x814 to discuss eligibility before applying.

Important Dates and Deadlines

• Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. ET on October 20, 2023 (note: the deadline has been extended to October 20 from the originally posted date of October 16, 2023)
• Applicants will be notified of their status by December 1, 2023
• Funds for supported projects must be used by June 15, 2024
• Virtual and in-person (March 2024) convening dates are TB

South Arts’ Commitments

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We strongly encourage and will prioritize funding applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants for the Emerging Traditional Artist Program must:

• Be an individual folk or traditional artist practicing music, handcrafts/material culture, and/or foodways. 
• Be in the early stages of your career/practice.
• Be at least 18 years of age by the application deadline of October 20, 2023.
• Have not had an opportunity to participate in high-quality professional development sessions.
• Be a United States citizen, lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence, or have permission from the Department of Homeland Security to work permanently in the U.S.
• Have been a resident of an Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) county for a period of at least two years immediately before the application deadline.
• Expect to maintain residency in an ARC county during the six-month cohort cycle.
• For artists in ARC counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee: 
  • Practice music, handcrafts/material culture, and/or foodways. 
  • Interdisciplinary traditional artists are welcome to apply.
• For artists in ARC counties in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina:
  • Practice handcrafts/material culture. 
• Submit a complete and accurate application.

Please note: Past recipients of the In These Mountains Folk & Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellowship and Emerging Traditional Arts Program are not eligible for the 2023 Emerging Traditional Artists Program.

There is no maximum age restriction for the Emerging Traditional Artists Program, though applicants must be at least 18 years of age by the application deadline of October 20, 2023, and should be in the early stages of their career/practice. For example, an eligible artist may have completed an apprenticeship with a mentor artist and now wishes to pursue ongoing learning to deepen their knowledge and skills. South Arts will prioritize applicants who have not had access to high-quality professional development opportunities in the past. 

Eligible applicants do not need to rely on their traditional art form as their primary source of income, but they should demonstrate a high level of commitment to their art form and an understanding of its history/role within their community. “Community” may be defined as your family, the geographic area where you live, a religious/worship group, a group of other traditional artists, etc.

Application Process

The components of the application are as follows: 

• Personal Information
• Life Story Questions
• Work Samples
• Support Materials (Optional)

Application Formats:
ETAP applications may be submitted in one of two formats: 

1. Written
   To submit written responses, select “Written” on the application in Salesforce and answer the following questions: 
   1. Tell us about the traditional art form you practice. Please explain the process, materials used, and/or instruments and tools involved. 
   2. Describe how you learned your art form. When did you start? From whom did you learn? By what methods did you learn?
   3. What role does your art form play in your community? Is it practiced by others in your family, your geographic area, or other groups to which you belong? If so, where, when, and by whom? If not, explain why it is not commonly practiced.
   4. What experiences do you have teaching others, supporting folk arts and traditional practices in your community, and/or advocating for their continuation? What plans do you have for carrying on this tradition in the future by teaching and/or inspiring others? 
   5. Why is it important to preserve this art form in particular?
   6. Tell us about a learning opportunity or opportunities you wish to pursue and why. How will this benefit you as a tradition bearer and support the continuation of your art in the future?
2. Video
   You may also choose to submit oral responses to the six Life Story questions in video format. To submit a video, select “Video” on the application in Salesforce. You may record using any available technology, such as a cell phone or web cam. Your video should not exceed 15 minutes in length. Advanced video editing skills are not expected or required, and video applications will be judged on their content alone.
   
   Once recorded, make your video responses available online on YouTube, Vimeo, or a similar platform, and upload the URL in the appropriate section of the application in Salesforce.
   
   For help with preparing and submitting video responses, please contact Teresa Hollingsworth (Director, Traditional Arts): thollingsworth@southarts.org or call or text (404) 201-7924.

Please choose only one application format. No application format will be considered more competitive than any other.

Personal Information: As part of the application form, you will be asked, but not required, to include personal information such as 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.

Applicants may be asked to submit a copy of their official state I.D./driver’s license as proof of residency later in the process to confirm eligibility.

Work Samples: Reviewers will use your work samples to evaluate skill in and dedication to your art form.

• Photographs: Submit up to ten clearly labeled high resolution images of your work. Acceptable file formats include .jpeg and .pdf.
• Audio Recordings: If applicable, submit up to three examples of your work. While .mp3 is recommended, all standard file formats are acceptable. Publicly accessible URL links to YouTube, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, or other similar platforms are also acceptable.
• Video Recordings: If applicable, submit up to three examples of your work. Publicly accessible URL links to YouTube, Vimeo, or other internet sources are acceptable, or hard copies can be sent via CD, DVD, or thumb-drive.

Support Materials (Optional): Support materials are optional, but strongly encouraged. These materials may be letters of support, newspaper articles, blog posts, podcasts, flyers, or other supplemental materials that speak to the applicant’s proficiency in their art form, their dedication to the traditional culture of their community, the history and context of their art form within their community, etc. These can be submitted as .pdf files or hardcopies. Please submit no more than five documents.

Life Story Questions

Applicants must respond to the following six prompts:

1. Tell us about the traditional art form you practice. Please explain the process, materials used, and/or instruments and tools involved. 
2. Describe how you learned your art form. When did you start? From whom did you learn? By what methods did you learn?
3. What role does your art form play in your community? Is it practiced by others in your family, your geographic area, or other groups to which you belong? If so, where, when, and by whom? If not, explain why it is not commonly practiced.
4. What experiences do you have teaching others, supporting folk arts and traditional practices in your community, and/or advocating for their continuation? What plans do you have for carrying on this tradition in the future by teaching and/or inspiring others? 
5. Why is it important to preserve this art form in particular?
6. Tell us about a learning opportunity or opportunities you wish to pursue and why. How will this benefit you as a tradition bearer and support the continuation of your art in the future?

Eligible Counties

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:

Alabama: Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, De Kalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston.

Georgia: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield.

Kentucky: Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe.

Mississippi: Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha.

North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.

South Carolina: Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union.

Tennessee: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and White.

Submission and Application Deadline

Completed applications, including work samples, may be submitted electronically by October 20, 2023 (by close of business, 5:00 p.m. ET).

Review Process

Panelist Review: An anonymous panel consisting of folklorists, artists, arts professionals, and other individuals with relevant experience will review all applications according to the review criteria. Panelists may or may not be familiar with your art form and community, so please be clear and specific in your application.

Review Criteria: Reviewers will evaluate applications and recommend funding decisions using the following criteria:

• Skill in and dedication to traditional art form, 25%
• History of the applicant’s informal training or previous apprenticeship associated with their cultural community, 25%
• Impact of the applicant’s work on their family/community and artistic tradition, 20%
• Explanation of how funds will be used to pursue a learning opportunity or opportunities, 15%
• Connection to and understanding of community needs, 15%

Award Notification: Applicants will receive notification of their award status by December 1, 2023. Eleven Emerging Traditional Artists will be awarded. The awards of $5,000 per recipient are to be used before June 30, 2024. 

Emerging Traditional Artist award recipients should note award money of $5,000 constitutes taxable income and must be filed as such.

Timeline

Application Open: August 15, 2023
Application Deadline: October 20, 2023 (please note: the deadline has been extended through October 20 from the original deadline of October 16, 2023)
Awardees Notified: December 1, 2023
First Virtual ETAP Convening: December 14, 2023, 6:00-7:00 PM ET.
In-Person Professional Development Convening: March 2024 (TBD)
Award Period Ends: June 15, 2024

Please note: Awardees are expected to attend the in-person March 2024 weekend convening. Additional funding is available to reimburse any lost wages due to attending the convening. Awardees are also expected to participate in activities to evaluate the success of ETAP and, although they are not required to submit a final report, South Arts staff will check in periodically throughout their award years to discuss artists’ learning opportunities. 

Appeals Process

You can request a review of the method for South Arts’ decisions concerning grant applications through the Appeals Process. If you did not receive funding or if your award was rescinded or reduced, you may submit an appeal based on the criteria listed below. Incomplete applications are not eligible for the appeals process. Dissatisfaction with the denial or amount of an award is not sufficient reason for an appeal. 

An applicant not funded may appeal South Arts’ decision if the applicant can demonstrate that the application was rejected for any of the following reasons:

• Application was reviewed using criteria other than those provided.
• The Funding decision was influenced by panel/staff/committee members who failed to disclose a conflict of interest.
• Application materials (submitted by the deadline) were not provided to reviewers.

If an applicant’s funds were rescinded or reduced, the applicant may appeal South Arts’ decision if they can demonstrate that (a) the project activities outlined in the application were performed, and (b) the contract terms and conditions were followed and fulfilled. 

To appeal a funding decision, first contact Teresa Hollingsworth to discuss. If you believe that you have grounds for an appeal, you must submit your appeal in writing to South Arts’ Executive Director no later than 15 calendar days following the receipt of the electronic notice from South Arts. The submission should contain evidence to support one or more of the allowable grounds for appeal. The decision on an appeal will be made by the Executive Director, who will render a decision within 30 days of the appeal. 

Mail your appeal to

South Arts
ATTN: President & CEO
1800 Peachtree Street, NW
Suite 808
Atlanta, GA 30309

Questions

Prior to submitting an application, folk and traditional artists are strongly encouraged to discuss their application with Teresa Hollingsworth (Director, Traditional Arts) at thollingsworth@southarts.org, or call or text (404) 201-7924.

Please note: We encourage applicants to contact us with questions more than 48 hours before the application deadline; due to the volume of requests, South Arts team members may not be able to respond to inquiries submitted after that time.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your application with you!