Dear Local Learning Community,
Folk Arts and its role in educational settings has been a passion of mine for my entire career. When I was asked to join the board of Local Learning – and later to serve as its Secretary – I was thrilled to be able to work collaboratively with partnering organizations, educators, and thought leaders to advance the mission and vision for folk arts in education on a national scale. My time on the board has allowed me to better understand the concerns of educators and artists who do this valuable work. I hope that my own insights and experiences have assisted Local Learning with their work.
Beginning with the American Folklore Society’s meeting in Buffalo in 2018, New York Folklore has been increasingly active in supporting and promoting folk arts in education in New York State. New York Folklore is viewed as a resource for artists and educators through our statewide advocacy for artists and community organizations, and through our own publication, Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore. With the formation of the New York Folk Arts Education Network, coordinated by Mira Johnson, our engagement became much more manifest. Therefore, while my term on the board and serving as its Secretary is now ending, I am pleased to be able to say that the collaboration between our national and statewide organizations continues: through the annual Culture, Community and the Classroom workshops for teachers and artists; through the ongoing network activities in New York State; and through a burgeoning group of trained artists, culture bearers, and educators who fulfill Local Learning’s mission for “a nation of lifelong learners who understand traditional arts and knowledge as critical tools for transformative solutions to the complex challenges of today’s world.”
Ellen McHale, Executive Director of New York Folklore
Read all the news here: https://icont.ac/50nVM
2024 CCC Artist Cohort meets in New Paltz.