| The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts, will present “Roots of American Culture: A Cross-Country Visit with Living Treasures of the Folk and Traditional Arts” this Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 8:00 pm ET. The National Endowment for the Arts Chair, Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, hosts the event and narrates us through the lives and distinguished talents of this year’s ten Heritage Fellows. For over 30 years, the NCTA has worked with the NEA to manage and coordinate the National Heritage Fellowships activities honoring the Fellowship recipients. Tune-in for the premiere of the film athttps://www.arts.gov/heritage OR at the Arts Endowment’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/NEAarts. Participate in the live chat on streaming channels, and join the conversation using #NEAHeritage22. During the film, we learn about the lives and inspirations of the Fellows, and see how “the work of these Fellows enriches our nation, allows us to learn from the past, gives us hope for an ever more inclusive tomorrow, and helps us all live artful lives.” (NEA Chair, Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson) Watch the special trailer of the event here. This year’s National Heritage Fellows are: Michael Cleveland – Bluegrass fiddler | Charlestown, IN Eva Enciñias – Flamenco artist | Albuquerque, NM The Excelsior Band – Brass Band Musicians | Mobile, AL Stanley Jacobs – Quelbe flute player | St. Croix, USVI The Legendary Ingramettes – Gospel artists | Richmond, VA TahNibaa Naataanii – Navajo/Diné artist and weaver | Shiprock, NM. Tahnibaa is this year’s Bess Lomax Hawes award recipient. Francis P. Sinenci – Hawaiian hale builder | Hana, Hawaii Tsering Wangmo Satho – Tibetan Opera singer and dancer | Richmond, California C. Brian Williams – Step artist and producer | Washington, D.C. Shaka Zulu – New Orleans Black masking craftsman, stilt dancer, and musician | New Orleans, LA About the National Heritage Fellowships The National Heritage Fellowships are the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Including the 2022 class, the Arts Endowment has awarded 468 National Heritage Fellowships, recognizing artists working in more than 200 distinct art forms. More information about the National Heritage Fellows is available on the Arts Endowment’s website. Fellowship recipients are nominated by the public, often by members of their own communities, and then judged by a panel of experts in the folk and traditional arts. The panel’s recommendations are reviewed by the National Council on the Arts, which sends its recommendations to the Arts Endowment chairman, who makes the final decision. Visit the National Endowment for the Arts website for more information and to submit a nomination. |