New York Folklore received 2026 support from the Regrants and Services program of the New York State Council on the Arts, to launch a “Folk Artists’ in the Schools” Regrant Program for folk and traditional arts. This regrant program fills a void in the arts funding across the state, as it provides targeted funding for Folk and Traditional Teaching Artists in New York State to work alongside an educator to develop and implement a short term folk arts residency program within educational settings.
Over the past 10 years, New York Folklore has pursued folk arts in education programming. Most recently, New York Folklore has partnered with Local Learning, a national organization, to develop and strengthen the New York Folk Arts Education Network in the state. The network represents teaching artists, educators, and students from across the state who are dedicated to having folk arts in the classroom.
For artists, classroom residencies skills are viable and important avenues for artists to support themselves full time from their arts. Folk artists in the school residencies also support the curricular needs of educators, providing opportunities for educators to fulfill their goals for classroom learning through directly interacting with cultural experts and artists who are in their communities.
Folk artists residencies are just one aspect of New York Folklore’s commitment to artists. In addition to making funding available through our re-granting programs, New York Folklore provides professional development for artists who wish to enter educational settings through providing opportunities for artists to hone their classroom skills in one-on-one sessions, professional development workshops, and in-class support.
In 2026, twelve awards for folk arts residencies were made across the diverse regions and traditions of New York. Awards were made to support both in-school and afterschool programming in elementary and secondary school buildings, and for engagement with college-aged students. Awarded residencies are the following:
Long Island
Brentwood Union Free Union District (educator -Jennifer Grasso) with artist Oluwaseyi Awoyomi (Shayee). Adire Symbols
Mohawk Valley
Schenectady Central School District (educator – Karmell Graziane) with artist Ahmad Shah Wali. Afghan Kite Flying
Schenectady Central School District (educator – Keri Barber) with artist Jordan Taylor Hill. African Diasporic Drumming
Hudson Valley
Birch School (educator Jim Helbig) with artist Jing Shuia. Tai Chi Fan Traditions
New Paltz Central School District (educator – Jim Longbotham) with artist Pulso de Barro. Son Jarocho
Capital Region
City School District of Albany (educator- Helen Martin) with artist Altin Stoja. Iconography
KIPP Magnet School (educators-Shereen Moore and Normaleasa Thomas) with artist Nick Payton. The Ghanian Folk Song Kaa Fo
Schuylerville School District (educator -Peter Carner) with artist Kay Olan. Native American (Mohawk) Storytelling
Finger Lakes
Rochester City School District (educator- Anellys Lopez-Santiago) with artist Samuel Borges. Puerto Rican Plena Music
Geneseo Central School (educator Keaton Rood) with artist Orlando Nunez. Folk Music of Puerto Rico
SUNY Brockport (educator – Dr. Christine Zinni) with artist Grandell Logan. Haudenosaunee Silversmithing
Alexander School District (educator – Courtney Vallejo) with artist Karla Alcala. Mexican Dancing/Dia de los Muertos