The Folk Arts Apprenticeship program helps to assure the survival, development and continued evolution of community-based traditional art forms found throughout Mississippi.
Donor Name: Mississippi Arts Commission
State: Mississippi
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 03/01/2022
Size of the Grant: $2,000
Details:
The program allows master traditional artists to pass along their unique skills to promising novice artists that work in their art form. The master artist works with the apprentice on a one-on-one basis over an agreed upon period of time to teach specific aspects of the tradition.
Funding Information
The Apprenticeship grant award is $2,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- The master artist and their potential 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.
Review Criteria
A panel of experts in various traditional art forms reviews the Apprenticeship applications. Applicants should address the following criteria in their application:
- The master artist has demonstrated a mastery of their art form.
- Evidence that the master artist’s work is connected to a community-based traditional art form.
- Evidence that the apprentice has a commitment and connection to the traditional art form.
- Evidence that the apprentice has a sufficient skill level to benefit from working with the master artist.
- Feasibility of the project plan and timeline.
MAC gives funding priority to first-time applicants to the program that represent an underserved tradition.
For more information, visit Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program.
