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Through Culture Fest partnerships, Oregon Folklife Network supports the development of community programs featuring traditional artists and culture keepers listed on the Oregon Culture Keepers Roster. 
Culture Fest partnerships generate paid opportunities for artists and support deeper connections between organizations and traditional artists throughout the state. With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Oregon Arts Commission, each Culture Fest follows the completion of a regional installment of our Statewide Folklife Survey and offers up to $3000 to Tribes, organizations, and individuals located in or serving the surveyed region of the state. Culture Fest partnerships have produced a variety of successful projects including festivals, music and dance performances, educational demonstrations, craft events, public talks, and more.
2019: Portland Area

Andisheh Center for Iranian Cultural Heritage (Multnomah) presented an afternoon of traditional art, music, and dance workshops featuring local Iranian artists, as well as three Persian artists new to our roster.

Andisheh Event

 

Hmong American Community of Oregon (Multnomah) presented the 5th Annual New Year in the Park, with traditional dance, foodways demonstrations, craft and food vendors, a fashion show, and processions.

Burmese traditional dance
 		Cambodian angels
 

McMinnville Public Library (Yamhill) presented Latino and other traditional artists for El Día de los Niños Fiesta, including three rostered OFN artists sharing music, henna, piñatas, and sugar skulls.

McMinnville Public Library

2019: Eastern Oregon

Crossroads Carnegie Art Center (Baker) hosted "Barrel and Vessel: The Art of Aging Wine," featuring rostered cooper (traditional barrel maker), Rick DeFerrari, in conjunction with a winery tour.

Barrel maker

 

Four Rivers Cultural Center (Malheur) presented the 2nd Annual Tradition Keepers Folklife Festival, with cowboy poetry, silversmithing, Paiute basketry and Pow Wow dancing, Japanese Taiko drumming, and much more. 

Four Rivers Cultural Center
 		Pow wow dancing
 		Four Rivers Cultural Center
 

 

Art Center East (Union) presented two rostered artists: a Farmers Market performance and master class in Guinean drumming, and wool spinning storytime and demonstration.

Guinean Drumming
 		Wool spinning
 

 

2018: Eastern Oregon

Art Center East (Union County) presented culture keeper Mark Ross (old time banjo/fiddle music) and other traditional artists connected with the heritage and history of Northeast Oregon.

Drumming
Janet Komoto and Kawa Taiko, Community Performance and Workshop, Max Square (June 21, 2018)

 

Traditional Mexican Ballet Folklorico Dancing and Workshop with Kenya Marquez, Max Square (August 19, 2018)

 

Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center (Baker County) hosted four folk artists for programming during their exhibition of textiles from the Weaver's Guild of Oregon "Color Gone Wild."

Wool spinning
Carol Etchemendy demonstrates spinning wool for over 250 walk-throughs during First Friday.
basket weaving
Sara Barton demonstrates Paiute Willow Basket weaving and Cradle Boards.
Sheep shearing
Greggorio Cartaberria demonstrates sheepshearing.
spinning
Sandra Van Liew demonstrates spinning, fleece prep, and knitting.

High Desert Museum (Deschutes County) hosted five culture keepers for a Traditional Arts Day at their Miller Family Ranch.

Silversmith
Pat Horlacher shows the traditional silversmithing that he produces for working cowboys.
DW Frommer
D.W. Frommer demonstrates how he makes boots by hand.
Leather tooling
Buckaroo and traditional saddle maker, Steve McKay, demonstrates tooling leather.

 
2017: Gorge Counties

Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indians: Tamastslikt featured Fred Hill and Thomas Morning Owl (May 31, 2017)

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indians
Pawiyálst'aksha Wayámna, Memorializing the Death of the Sound of the Falls, a public program dedicated to share memories of Celilo Falls through stories and song.
Ceremonial circle
Ceremonial circle at the event. "The impact of the falls being covered has continued to emotionally affect many who still cannot talk about life at Celilo without tears in their eyes."

 

Hood River: Radio Tierra featured two traditional performing groups (July 3-4, 2017)

Los Temerosos de Juan Antonio (a group of nine) and Los Amigos de la Sierra (a group of four) performed before a live audience of approximately 200 people, plus one live and two rebroadcast radio audiences of 6,000.

 

Wasco County: Columbia Gorge Discovery Center hosted eight traditional artists at events between (April 16 – June 18, 2017)

Tule mat making
Taaw-Lee-Winch, known as "Tule Man," demonstrates the art of sewing tule mats, Saturday, July 15, 2017 at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. Photo courtesy of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

 

Grilling salmon
Sean McConville (right) serves grilled salmon to visitors with his wife Brigette McConville (left), the first woman Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commissioner, and first Native woman on the Oregon Historical Society Board of Directors. , Sunday, June 18, 2017 at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. Photo courtesy of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

 

Swan dancers
"Iksiks Washanahl'a," or, "Little Swans" dancers perform April 1, 2017 at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. The group's leader, Mary Lee Jones, said, "Our daughters are our dancers and the mothers and grandmothers sing. Each dance from the Plateau area of Indian country tells a story that has been carried down for generations." Photo courtesy of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.
Beadwork
Roberta Kirk demonstrates traditional beadwork for museum visitors, Saturday, June 10, 2017 at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. Photo courtesy of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

 

2016: Southern Oregon

Malheur County: Four Rivers Cultural Center featured Janet Komoto

Taiko drummers
Taiko drum performance at Annual Veteran’s Day Parade (Nov 11, 2015)
Workshop
Free workshop at the Four Rivers Cultural Center (Jan 16, 2016)

Harney County: Harney County Cultural Coalition Opportunity Team enhanced the annual John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival with a Tradition Keepers Showcase with 13 regional folk artists.

Folk arts market
Folk Arts Market and Demonstrations at Annual Migratory Bird Festival (Pat Horlacher, silversmith pictured right; Douglas Manger, folklorist pictured left)
Silversmith and basket maker
Dean Adams (Burns Paiute; Jemez Pueblo), Native silversmith and basket maker (front left).

Lake County: PLAYA featured three cowboy poets in a two-hour program and reception

 

PLAYA Presents performance
John Stephens performs at PLAYA Presents: Cowboy Poetry, Music & Open Studios

 

 

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