Artists and organizations in New York State will receive a combined total of over $600,000 in grants, thanks to their partnerships with New York Folklore. These funds from the the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) support artists, specific cultural...
On Friday, November 7, 2025, the Schenectady/West African Youth Orchestra (a youth ensemble created by celebrated Ghanaian musician, Zorkie Nelson) will debut a new piece by banjo musician and music educator, Scott Hopkins. The collaboration is the...
A Fond Farewell to Laurie Longfield: Laurie was born and raised in Schenectady, but she has lived in many other East and West Coast locations. She joined New York Folklore in 2009, enriching the organization through her many prior years of learned experience in the...
On May 2nd, the email that I had feared arrived in my inbox. The evening before, I had read President Trump’s proposed budget for 2026 and seen his recommendation to defund the National Endowment for the Arts. I received the first email on May 3rd saying that one NEA...
For the second year in a row the NY/NJ Folk Arts Roundtable convened in Schenectady, NY! From May 5th to 7th folklorists, artists, arts administrators and tradition bearers gathered for the 42nd time! We kicked things off on Monday afternoon with Asiyah Kurtz, who...
On March 19, 2025, the membership of New York Folklore held its Annual Meeting to elect officers and directors for the non-profit organization. The New York Folklore Society was formed in 1944; therefore, it celebrates its 81st year in 2025. As stipulated in the New...
The New York State Senate and Assembly are held a joint hearing on the Arts in New York State, on Tuesday 2/11 at 11:00 a.m. New York Folklore Executive Director, Ellen McHale addressed the committee, You can read a full copy of her testimony below. My name is Ellen...
As we close out our 80th Anniversary year, we at New York Folklore give thanks for all of our supporters who have made our programming initiatives possible with your donations and partnerships. Working collaboratively with communities, New York Folklore strives to...
Artists and organizations in New York State will receive a combined total of over $500,000 in grants thanks to direct assistance from New York Folklore. These funds that directly support artists, specific cultural traditions, and organizations come from twenty-five...
Ellen McHale, Ph.D., Executive Director of New York Folklore was named a "Fellow" of the American Folklore Society on November 7th during the American Folklore Society's annual meeting for 2024 that was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Established in 1960, the...
On September 27, 2024, New York Folklore and the Linda (WAMC's performance venue) were honored at the annual awards ceremony by the New York State Broadcaster's Association (NYSBA). New York Folklore was nominated for the award in recognition of our ongoing...
Today, I exited off the Michigan Avenue Exit ramp of Schenectady's I-890, and smiled. Looming in front of me was the mural that was created at the end of June 2024 by Raè Frasier of Art Money, three students enrolled in the Schenectady Job Training Agency's after...
For the 40th annual New York Folk Arts Roundtable, New York Folklore brought the Roundtable to our neighborhood in Schenectady, NY. For this big milestone we were joined by one of our largest cohorts ever! Things kicked off on Sunday, April 28th at the Arts Education...
The membership of New York Folklore elected new representatives to its board of directors during its annual meeting on April 4, 2024. Now in its 80th year, New York Folklore has met annually to elect board members and officers, and to support the business of the New...
On any week in the 2023-2024 academic year, one can encounter a New York Folklore-sponsored folk arts program within any of the nineteen schools which make up the Schenectady School District. Through grants from the Our Town program of the National Endowment for the...