Folklife Mentor/Apprentice Opportunities Now Open

Transferring knowledge from master to apprentice is one of the oldest ways of handing down traditions. Applications are open to a program to support that relationship.  

West Virginia Folklife, a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council, is now accepting applications for its statewide Folklife Apprenticeship Program. 

The program has supported expert traditional artists working with dedicated apprentices on a yearlong apprenticeship to teach traditional music, dance, craft, foodways and storytelling since 2017. This popular program follows the time-tested model of one-to-one teaching so that apprentices may carry on techniques, artistry, stories and traditional knowledge of communities from throughout the Mountain State. 

Applications are due Sept. 18. Mentors and their proposed apprentices must apply together. Applications will be evaluated by a review panel, and successful applicants will be notified in November 2026. 

Teaching artists will receive $3,000, and apprentices $800, for participating in the program. Pairs may request an additional $400 for expenses related to their apprenticeship.  

Folklife apprenticeship pairs design their own work plans, and they are expected to participate in a public presentation, recorded interview, virtual meetings as a cohort with other selected pairs and a final public showcase. 

The West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program is facilitated by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council. The Folklife Apprenticeship Program is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

West Virginia Folklife is dedicated to the documentation, preservation, presentation and support of West Virginia’s cultural heritage and living traditions.  

For questions about the West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, contact Jennie Williams at williams@wvhumanities.org or 304-346-8500. Past West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship showcases are available on the organization’s YouTube channel @WestVirginiaFolklife. 

The application, guidelines and instructions for how to apply can be found at wvfolklife.org.