Virginia Humanities Announces Seven Folklife Apprenticeships totaling $35,000
The Virginia Folklife Program of Virginia Humanities has awarded seven Folklife Apprenticeships for 2026–2027, totaling $35,000 in support of mentor artists and their apprentices. Since 2002, Virginia Folklife has funded 156 apprenticeships in cultural traditions, serving 378 individuals to date.
Folklife Apprenticeships contribute to cultural sustainability through honoring the expertise of the mentor artist, funding deep learning for the apprentice, and introducing cultural heritage to fellow Virginians. In addition to financial support — each team receives $5,000 for 12 months of self-designed learning — this opportunity connects these cultural ambassadors with new audiences. Virginia Folklife collaborates with apprenticeship teams to share their story on Virginia Humanities platforms and teams are also featured in public programs presented by Virginia Humanities.
The seven apprenticeships this year include two teams working in textiles (spinning, dyeing and weaving; and Akan cloth making), three teams working in music-making and instrument repair (clawhammer banjo, traditional Greek music, and accordion repair), a team of dancers (old-time and flatfoot dancing), and a team working with foodways (African heritage farming).
Mentor artists are spread throughout communities across the commonwealth including:
- Beaverdam
- Bristol
- Charlottesville
- Falls Church
- Hampton
- Radford
- Rural Retreat
“The apprenticeship program allowed me to continue researching a specific interest of mine, with a mentor I greatly admire, all surrounding this lovely and rich place I call home. I will forever cherish the experiences I’ve been afforded because of this program.”
Ozzy Freidline, apprentice artist (Virginia Salt Glaze Pottery, 2025)
The 2026 cohort is made possible with support from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Anne and Gene Worrell Foundation, and the TowneBank Foundation.
The next round of Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program applications will open in November 2026 and close in April 2027.
2026-2027 Apprenticeship Teams
- Clawhammer Banjo—Jim Lloyd & Charlotte Elena Simons (Rural Retreat, VA)
- Old Time Dance Fiddling and Flatfoot Dance—Gina Dilg & Ipi Hello (Radford, VA)
- Spinning, Dyeing and Weaving—Deborah L. Prescott & Toni Doman-Vandyke (Bristol, VA)
- Akan Cloth Making and Folk Song—Xorlali Plange & Anita Ana-Grace Abram (Hampton, VA)
- Accordion Repair—Matty Metcalfe & Maria Leckey (Charlottesville)
- African Heritage Farming—Dr. Patience Fielding & Tanya Michelle Kambou (Beaverdam, VA)
- Traditional Greek Music—Dr. Spyridon (Spyros) Koliavasilis & Patricia Rader (Falls Church, VA)
Photos and more information about each apprenticeship team can be found at VirginiaFolklife.org.
About Virginia Humanities
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council. We aim to tell the stories of all Virginians—or, better yet, find ways for people to tell their own stories. We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we will all get to know each other a little better. Virginia Humanities is headquartered in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, but our work covers the Commonwealth. Founded in 1974, we are one of fifty-six humanities councils created by Congress with money and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities to make the humanities available to all Americans. To learn more visit VirginiaHumanities.org.
