After nearly three decades of leadership as New York Folklore’s Executive Director, Ellen McHale will retire on May 1, 2027. Ellen McHale has served as the Executive Director of New York Folklore since 1999. “New York Folklore has been more than a job,” says Ellen....
Schenectady County Connects supports a youth development program that offers summer jobs for Schenectady County youth. For the third year in a row, New York Folklore has been fortunate in being supported by this Schenectady County agency as a employment site for...
We are pleased to release New York Folklore's annual report for 2025. Our organization continues to be strong through our excellent staff and through our continuous engagement with artists and communities. Founded on a cultural equity mission, New York Folklore...
On Sunday, March 1, 2026, New York Folklore's Board of Directors conducted the Society's Annual Meeting via Zoom. The meeting began with a round-robin of introductions from those attending, with attendees participating from the farthest western-most edges of the state...
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...