Los Angeles County Folk Arts (LAFolkArts)

An on-line network for the folk and traditional arts community of Greater Los Angeles. The purpose of LAFolkArts is to provide information of interest and a forum for discussion. Postings include performances, exhibits and events; funding opportunities; information on gatherings, conferences, workshops and mentorships; and discussion of artistic issues.

What are Folk and Traditional Arts?

Folk and traditional arts deeply reflect cultural heritage and can express an artist’s or community’s sense of identity or way of life. They are passed down through the generations within a family or community that share a common ethnic heritage, language, religion, occupation or region. Folk art can be music, dance, visual arts and crafts, storytelling, and cuisine. Some folk and traditional arts have been brought to California from other countries, taken root here and become woven into the state’s cultural identity, while others have prospered within indigenous tribes for centuries.

Folk art is…Mexican mariachi music, West African hair braiding, Balinese gamelan, Western saddle making, Chinese opera, African-American gospel quartets, Hawaiian hula, Hmong embroidery, Anglo-American old-time fiddling, Native American basketry, Cuban bata drumming, Japanese tea ceremonies, Mennonite quilting, South Indian bharata natyam dance…the list is as long as our region is diverse.

LAFolkArts was founded by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and is sponsored by the California Traditional Music Society, a facility of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.

For more information, contact:
Lisa Richardson
Executive Director,
California Traditional Music Society
mailing address: 4924 Balboa Blvd., #637
Encino, CA 91316
Phone: 818-817-0094
Fax: 818-817-7734
lisar@ctmsfolkmusic.org