The University of Oregon’s Oregon Folklife Network has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts plus $40,000 from Oregon Arts Commission to support Oregon’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program.
Oregon Folklife Network is accepting applications until January 21, 2022 for the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (TAAP) for projects in 2022. The program offers folk and traditional master artists and culture keepers a $3,500 stipend to teach their art form to apprentices from their same communities, Tribes, sacred or occupational groups. The stipend supports master artists in sharing their knowledge, skills and expertise with apprentices of great promise who will be empowered to carry on and strengthen Oregon’s living cultural traditions. Artist may make public presentations through the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
Oregon’s 2021 TAAP awards supported traditional buckaroo leatherwork by Clair Kehrberg of John Day; Mexican charro (trick-roping expert) Antonio Huerta of Springfield; Black gospel, rhythm & blues singer LaRhonda Steele of Portland; Zapotec weaving by Francisco Bautista of Sandy; Guinean drum making and tuning by Alseny Yansane of Eugene; and Asian Indian dance by Jayanthi Raman of Portland. All mentored apprentices from their own culture groups in the traditional forms noted, with OFN providing technical support as needed for socially distanced teaching, learning, and presenting.
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- Clair Kehrberg taught buckaroo leather working to her apprentice, Julianna Smucker.
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- Alseny Yansane taught Guinean drum making and tuning to his apprentice, Papa Yansane.
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- Jayanthi Raman taught Asian Indian dance to her apprentice, Lavanya Mohanraj.
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- José Antonio Huerta taught Mexican Charrería to his apprentice, Rafael Acevedo Reveles.
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- LaRhonda Steele taught gospel singing to her apprentice, Lauren Steele.
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- Francisco Bautista taught Zapotec Weaving to his apprentice Daniel Bautista.
Oregon Folklife Network encourages applications from Oregonians practicing cultural traditions emerging from their heritage or Tribes. This program does not fund historic reenactments or cultural appropriation.
To learn more about application procedures and eligibility or to recommend a TAAP applicant, visit ofn.uoregon.edu, email ofn@uoregon.edu, or call 541-346-3820. Oregon Folklife Network staff members are available to provide application advice and will review and provide feedback on draft applications prior to submission.
Completed applications are due no later than 5 pm on January 21 at the Oregon Folklife Network, 242 Knight Library, 6204 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-6204. NOTE: This is NOT a postmark deadline.