Center and Music Unbound Deepen Partnership Ahead of Almaty Exchange Trip
August 12, 2026
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
Acclaimed Black Country Artist Rissi Palmer Headlines Free Tucson Concert Celebrating Smithsonian’s “Of the People” Initiative and Kicking Off Tucson Meet Yourself
August 8, 2026
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
Seeking Nominations for Arizona Traditional Artists and Culture Bearers for our Annual Master-Apprentice Artist Award
April 16, 2026
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
The Smithsonian Institution augments Tucson Meet Yourself to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary
March 2, 2026
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
Braiding Folklife in Kazakhstan and the American Southwest
February 16, 2026
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.
Southwest Folklife Alliance Celebrates over a Decade of Master-Apprentice Artist Awardees in First Gathering
February 10, 2026
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
Announcing the 2025 Master-Apprentice Artist Awardees
December 16, 2025
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
Intercultural Exchange: Southwest Folklife Alliance connects Tucson heritage-based artists with artists from its Sister City, Almaty, Kazakhstan
July 24, 2025
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
Meet the 2025 Creative Currents Peer Learning Fellows!
June 9, 2025
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
Four Tucson Artists Selected for ARTISTS AT WORK (AAW) National Workforce Resilience Program
June 2, 2025
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
Arizona Illustrated highlights Loom Market Artists
January 10, 2025
December 18, 2024 Designed and maintained by the Southwest Folklife Alliance, Loom.Market is a virtual marketplace where heritage-based artists can sell work, network and preserve cultural knowledge. Artists from all walks of life get together under the umbrella of Loom Market to support each other and to create community. Diseñado y mantenido por la Southwest
Congratulations to the 2024 Master-Apprentice Artist Awardees
December 12, 2024
For Immediate Release Contact: Program Manager, Denise UyeharaPhone: 520-621-4046duyehara@arizona.edu December 12, 2024 Southwest Folklife Alliance Awards 10 Master Artists to Share and Transfer Cultural Knowledge Tucson, AZ— Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA) is proud to present its 2024 Master-Apprentice Artist Award to a Hopi basketmaker, a White Mountain Apache basketmaker, a maker of White Mountain Apache traditional