As shared by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage by Kirby Ewald In June, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Music Unbound signed an agreement that expands beyond the existing Heritage in Motion project. It establishes a framework for joint programming and knowledge exchange, signaling shared, long-term commitment to preserving and elevating cultural … Read more
July 28, 2026 Performance launches a new chapter for Tucson Meet Yourself as the festival reimagines the visitor experience through its partnership with the Smithsonian and the Fox Tucson Theatre. TUCSON, AZ–Acclaimed singer-songwriter Rissi Palmer, whose groundbreaking career has helped broaden the conversation about Black artists’ contributions to country music, will perform a free public … Read more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Denise Uyehara, Programs Manager in Artist Services duyehara@arizona.edu (520) 230-2807 April 16, 2026 Annual Award for Traditional Artists and Culture Bearers in Arizona Seeks Nominations Tucson, AZ – The Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA), an affiliate of the University of Arizona’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the organizer of the Tucson … Read more
Tucson, Arizona—Tucson Meet Yourself (TMY), the beloved festival showcasing the expressive cultures of Southern Arizona every year in downtown Tucson, has been selected as one of approximately 40 festivals nationwide to collaborate with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as part of Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals. TMY will … Read more
The Smithsonian Folklife Magazine recently featured the Southwest Folklife Alliance in an article by SFA Disability Cultures Folklorist, Alisha Vasquez. This article is part of the Kazakhstan Artisan Initiative, a community-based cultural sustainability initiative in the country of Kazakhstan developed through a partnership between the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the Union of Artisans of Kazakhstan. … Read more
Feb. 4, 2026 For over a decade, the Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA) has been providing direct monetary awards to heritage-based artists in Arizona to support them in passing on their artforms. Later this month, SFA convenes past and present recipients of the award in Tucson for the first time to celebrate, meet one another, and … Read more
We’re so thrilled to announce this year’s Master-Apprentice Artist Awardees, who were nominated by community members and selected by a panel of cultural leaders and peers. Congratulations to all the artists! They are: Bryce Antone, a weaver of traditional Tohono O’odham “giho,” or burden baskets, who will mentor his son, Terrence J. Antone. Deborah Brooks of the … Read more
This summer, the Southwest Folklife Alliance was honored to connect 15 traveling artists from Kazakhstan with heritage-based artists in Southern Arizona. The Kazakhstan Artisan Initiative is the first project of the Kazakhstan Cultural Heritage Fund and supports community-based work and cross-cultural exchange to strengthen cultural sustainability in Kazakhstan. The artists are members of the Union … Read more
The Southwest Folklife Alliance is pleased to announce the 2025 Creative Currents Peer Learning Fellows! This travel fellowship offers the awardee $6500, $2000 in travel funds, and $1000 to their peer learning partner. To provide equal access, additional funds may be requested for language interpretation and accessibility-related supplies. The purpose of this initiative is to … Read more
The FreshGrass Foundation and THE OFFICE performing arts + film have announced the artists selected for their Artists At Work (AAW) initiative’s 2025-26 cohort. Working in Albuquerque, Dearborn, Indianapolis, Los Angeles County, New Orleans, and Tucson, these 24 artists will receive salaried employment, benefits, and wrap-around support for 18 months. They began their term on June … Read more