Show Me Folk

Man in overalls and cap on left; woman in dance costume and straw hat on right. Text reads: Living Traditions, 2023 Sustainer Fellows, Kenny Applebee & Carmen Sofia Dence

April 24, 2023

Inaugural Living Traditions Fellows

Missouri Folk Arts Program Announces Inaugural Living Traditions Sustainer Fellows April 24, 2023 COLUMBIA, MO – The Missouri Folk Arts Program has chosen the recipients of the inaugural Missouri Living Traditions Sustainer Fellowship, the state’s newest award to recognize the artistic excellence and lifetime achievement of living traditional artists in the Show Me State. The fellowships honor these individuals’ deep-rooted contributions to their art forms and to the vibrant communities in Missouri that the artists support. An independent panel of traditional arts and community specialists selected the honorees from a competitive pool of public nominations. This…
red beaded pouch behind exhibit glass with text panel identifying artist

March 17, 2023

Kim Garcia-Artist Profile

“You’re not going to learn something until you’re ready to learn it.” Kim Garcia Over the last few years, Missouri Folk Arts has collaborated with community documentarians to identify traditional arts regionally; document traditions locally; and share Missouri stories more widely.  Nathan Lee McAlister visited southwest Missouri and Wyandotte beadworker Kim Garcia on behalf of Missouri Folk Arts and shared an artist profile and photos with us. Our collaboration with Nathan was made possible thanks to funding from Mid-America Arts…
Woman weaving a loom

Dec. 9, 2022

Lee Ann Sours–Artist Profile

“In the beginning I wasn’t thinking about being a fiber artist. I was just thinking about farming.” Lee Ann Sours   Over the last few years, Missouri Folk Arts has collaborated with community documentarians to identify traditional arts regionally; document traditions locally; and share Missouri stories more widely.   Last year, Nathan Lee McAlister visited southwest Missouri weaver Lee Ann Sours on behalf of Missouri Folk Arts and shared an artist profile and photos with us. Our collaboration with Nathan was made possible thanks to…
Word Press

June 1, 2021

Ozarks Alive: Springfield Stories

With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and support from the Missouri Arts Council, our state folk arts staff has been thrilled these last four years to establish new relationships and strengthen established relationships via the Show Me Folk initiative. Missouri is such a large and diverse state to explore that we have broken down documentation of traditional artists and arts to more manageable target areas in collaboration with local partners. Show Me Folk gives us the time and resources to dive deeper,…
Word Press

April 20, 2021

Ozarks Alive: Springfield Partnership

With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and support from the Missouri Arts Council, our state folk arts staff has been thrilled these last four years to establish new relationships and strengthen established relationships via the Show Me Folk initiative. Missouri is such a large and diverse state to explore that we have broken down documentation of traditional artists and arts to more manageable target areas in collaboration with local partners. Show Me Folk gives us the time and resources to dive deeper, alternating annually between rural and urban communities.