Northwest Folklife

NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TO CELEBRATE, SHARE, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVOLVING CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE IS A WASHINGTON-BASED 501(C)(3) ARTS AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATION THAT PRESERVES, CULTIVATES, AND UPLIFTS THE INTRICATE TAPESTRY OF DYNAMIC CULTURES AND TRADITIONS IN OUR REGION. IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION CELEBRATED ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY BY HONORING BOTH THE TRADITIONAL AND EVOLUTIONARY ASPECTS OF FOLK ARTS AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION. AT ITS CORE, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE IS ABOUT FOSTERING CONNECTIONS TO HERITAGE, IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY. FROM THE ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL TO OUR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ARTS & HERITAGE (Y.E.A.H.) PROGRAMS, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE EMBRACES CULTURAL MENTORSHIP AND CREATIVE PRACTICE AS A VEHICLE TO PROMOTE EXPLORATION OF HERITAGE, BRIDGE COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING, AND FORGE OPPORTUNITIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THIS WORK EXPANDS ACROSS GENERATIONS AS WELL AS RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, IS INCLUSIVE OF DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY, AND SUPPORTS THE EVOLUTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF COMMUNITIES. FROM DAILY CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CUSTOMS, FOLKLIFE IS A PART OF EACH OF OUR LIVES - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE'S MISSION IS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TO CELEBRATE, SHARE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVOLVING CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND REMAINS COMMUNITY POWERED THANKS TO FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS, SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS AND CULTURAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION.SINCE 1972, THE ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HAS BEEN HELD DURING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT THE SEATTLE CENTER, HISTORIC SITE OF THE 1962 WORLD'S FAIR. THE FOUR-DAY FESTIVAL HAS FEATURED OVER 5,000 PERFORMERS AND CULTURE BEARERS ACROSS 20+ STAGES AND HAS BEEN ATTENDED BY UP TO A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE, ANNUALLY. A CORE VALUE FOR THE ORGANIZATION IS FOR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE VOICE AND AGENCY IN THE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE CO-CURATION OF THE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES BY OVER 150 COMMUNITY COORDINATORS - PROMINENT ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, AND LEADERS IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION - MANY WHO PARTNER WITH US ON PROGRAMS YEAR-ROUND. IN 2020, WE MOVED THIS EVENT TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. EVEN WITH ONLY A MONTH TO TRANSFORM, THE ONLINE 49TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HOSTED SIX CHANNELS OF BOTH LIVE STREAMING AND ON-DEMAND PROGRAMS WHICH REACHED OVER 39,000 PEOPLE ACROSS 86 COUNTRIES. PRIORITIZING COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY, THE 50TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL CONTINUED AS A VIRTUAL PRESENTATION AND INCLUDED LIVE AND PRE-RECORDED SEGMENTS THAT WERE RECORDED ON LOCATION AT SEATTLE CENTER, PIER 62 OF THE WATERFRONT AND AT THE DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE. THERE WERE 161 SESSIONS OR PARTICIPATORY ZOOM SESSIONS THAT RAN DURING THE WEEKEND AS COMPARED TO THE 61 FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WITH THE SUCCESS AND REACH OF THE ONLINE PROGRAMMING, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN "HYBRID" ACTIVITIES, MAINTAINING A ROBUST DIGITAL PRESENCE EVEN WHEN RETURNING TO LIVE ACTIVITIES IS POSSIBLE.THE ANNUAL CULTURAL FOCUS IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO HIGHLIGHT AND WORK MORE DEEPLY WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF CULTURE-BEARERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE 2021 CULTURAL FOCUS, 50 YEARS OF NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE: A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD CELEBRATED THE MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY OF A HALF CENTURY AMPLIFYING THE STORIES, SONGS, AND TRADITIONS OF COMMUNITIES FROM ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL 50TH LOGO INCLUDED IMAGES THAT HONORED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR RICHLY DIVERSE PARTICIPANTS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ONLINE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS REFLECTED ON: THE STATE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, WORK BEING DONE TO REVERSE THE LOSS OF CULTURAL SPACE, BOLSTERING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND ENGAGING IN ACTIVISM AS WELL AS IDEATED ON REIMAGINING AND REBUILDING THRIVING CULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS.OUR YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS INCLUDE A FEW COMPONENTS. OUR BIG NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SEATTLE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL FOSTER INTERGENERATIONAL AND INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE THROUGH MOVEMENT-FILLED, PARTICIPATORY PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS GEARED TOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THIS PAST YEAR, LIKE THE FESTIVAL, SOME ACTIVITIES AND OFFERINGS WERE PRESENTED VIRTUALLY. PROXIMA GENERACION AND UNBROKEN CIRCLE BRING TOGETHER YOUTH AGES 13-18 TO COLLABORATE ON VARIOUS FORMS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND TO FOSTER THEIR GROWTH AS AGENTS OF CHANGE. PRXIMA GENERACIN PROVIDES A SPACE FOR LATINX-IDENTIFYING YOUTH TO COLLABORATE, SHARE IDEAS, INTERACT WITH LOCAL TEACHING ARTISTS, AND WORK WITH CULTURAL MENTORS TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP THEIR ARTISTIC VOICE AND EXPRESSIONS. UNBROKEN CIRCLE EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO TRANSMIT THEIR PERSONAL, LOCAL, AND CULTURAL HISTORY THROUGH THEIR ART. STUDENTS STUDY WITH A RANGE OF BLUES, JAZZ AND ROOTS MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, AND ACTIVISTS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM OF MUSIC AND ART THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY AND HISTORY OF SEATTLE'S RAINIER VALLEY.IN 2020, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S OFFICE OF ARTS & CULTURE AND THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PILOT THE CULTURAL & CREATIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. ENGAGING IN CAREER CONNECTED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN PAID INTERNSHIPS REPRESENTING DIVERSE FACETS OF WORK WITHIN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES ECOSYSTEM. PROGRAM PARTNERS OFFER INTERNS MENTORSHIP GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND LIVED EXPERIENCES. DURING THE TWO YEARS THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE (COINCIDING WITH THE PANDEMIC) OVER 40 YOUNG CREATIVES CONTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF WORK, IDEAS AND ENERGY TOWARDS THE RECOVERY OF OUR SECTOR. THIS PROGRAM DEEPENS NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE'S MISSION BY ESSENTIALIZING ARTS AND CULTURE IN COMMUNITY-CENTERED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION.