Visioning Retreat for the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions

Abstract

Three decades ago the first of three Washington State folklife programs was established. Now the state program is once again in transition. The folk arts program of the Washington State Arts Commission (now ArtsWA) was discontinued in June 2013 and the director of Northwest Heritage Resources will soon retire. Led by Northwest Heritage Resources, folklorists and representatives from government and nonprofit cultural organizations have been engaged in a series of conversations to strategize rebuilding the state folklife program and building a sustainable statewide network for the field. The results of these efforts has been the decision to establish a Center for Washington Cultural Traditions in July 2016 at Humanities Washington, as a collaboration with ArtsWA, Northwest Heritage Resources, and a network of nonprofit organizations and government agencies. The Center is envisioned as something more ambitious and sustainable than previous state folklife programs, engaging collaboration with multiple disciplines in the arts and humanities and attracting significant private and government funding.