User:Smithriedel/sandbox4

Folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community. They encompass the body of expressive culture associated with the fields of folklore and cultural heritage. Tangible folk art includes objects which historically are crafted and used within a traditional community. Intangible folk arts include such forms as music, dance and narrative structures. Each of these arts, both tangible and intangible, was originally developed to address a real problem. Once this practical purpose has been lost or forgotten, there is no reason for further transmission unless the object or action has been imbued with meaning beyond its initial practicality. These vital and constantly reinvigorated artistic traditions are shaped by values and standards of excellence that are passed from generation to generation, most often within family and community, through demonstration, conversation, and practice.

It is these cultural artifacts, both tangible and intangible, that become the purview of the folklorist and cultural historian. They seek to understand the significance of these cultural forms within the community by studying their creation, transmission and performance, through which the values and structure of the community are expressed. It then becomes important to document these traditional acts and their meaning. Both community members and outsiders need to be educated as to the importance of these traditional objects and actions within the life of the community. And finally, the celebration of these arts needs to become an active demonstration and statement for the members of this community.

UNESCO Organization of Folk Art
The United Nations recognizes and supports cultural heritage around the world through its UNESCO Organization of Folk Art. Their declared mission is to “further folk art, customs and culture around the world through the organization of festivals and other cultural events, … with emphasis on dancing, folk music, folk songs and folk art.” By supporting international exchanges of folk art groups as well as the organization of festivals and other cultural events, their goal is promote international understanding and world peace.

.” </ The National Endowment for the Arts in the United States includes in its definition of folk arts a much wider range of traditional crafts using sounds, visuals and words. This more inclusive definition would include song, dance and verbal lore. NEA folk art fellows in quilting, ironwork, woodcarving, pottery, embroidery, basketry, weaving, “and other related traditional arts. Must display “authenticity, excellence, and significance within a particular tradition.” (NEA guidelines)

We promote greater understanding and sustainability of cultural heritage across the United States and around the world through research, education, and community engagement.

NEA :: what is their definition used?

https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Folk_and_Traditionharal_fact_sheet_nov2016.pdf

In 1966, the NEA’s first year of funding, support for a national and regional folks festivals was identified as a priority with the first grant made in 1967 to the National Folk Festival Association. • The NEA piloted the first state Community members may share a common ethnic heritage, cultural mores, language, religion, occupation, or geographic region. General term, collective term

Forms of folk arts

 * Folk music
 * Folk dance
 * Folk song
 * Folk art, tangible objects created within a cultural tradition
 * Children's folklore

Regional folk arts

 * African folk art
 * Chinese folk art
 * Mingei (Japanese folk art movement)
 * Minhwa (Korean folk art)
 * North Malabar
 * Theyyam
 * Tribal art
 * Warli painting (India)
 * Folk arts of Karnataka (India)
 * Folk Art and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace
 * Folk Art Museum of Patras, Greece
 * Native American Art

Associations

 * Folk Art Society of America
 * UNESCO Organization of Folk Art
 * National Endowment for the Arts