NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE
305 HARRISON ST, SEATTLE, WA 98109 www.nwfolklife.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TO CELEBRATE, SHARE, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVOLVING CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE IS A WA-BASED ARTS & HERITAGE ORGANIZATION THAT PRESERVES, CULTIVATES, & UPLIFTS THE INTRICATE TAPESTRY OF DYNAMIC CULTURES & TRADITIONS IN OUR REGION. SINCE OUR 1ST FESTIVAL IN 1972, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE REMAINED OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, W/O TICKETS OR GATES, STRIVING TO PROVIDE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN CULTURAL EXCHANGE. AT ITS CORE, NW FOLKLIFE IS ABOUT FOSTERING CONNECTIONS TO HERITAGE, IDENTITY & COMMUNITY. FROM THE ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL, CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2021, TO OUR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ARTS & HERITAGE (Y.E.A.H.) PROGRAMS NW FOLKLIFE EMBRACES CULTURAL MENTORSHIP CREATIVE PRACTICE AS A MEANS TO PROMOTE EXPLORATION OF HERITAGE, BRIDGE COMMUNICATION & UNDERSTANDING & FORGE OPPORTUNITIES. (SEE SCH O)THIS WORK EXPANDS ACROSS GENERATIONS, ACROSS RACIAL & ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, INCLUSIVE OF DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY, & IN SUPPORT OF EVOLUTION & TRANSFORMATION. FROM DAILY CREATIVITY & IMAGINATION TO FAMILY & COMMUNITY CUSTOMS, FOLKLIFE IS A PART OF EACH OF OUR LIVES - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. OUR MISSION TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TO CELEBRATE, SHARE, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVOLVING CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST REMAINS COMMUNITY-POWERED THANKS TO FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS, SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS, AND CULTURAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION.THE ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HAS BEEN HELD DURING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT THE SEATTLE CENTER, HISTORIC SITE OF THE 1962 WORLD'S FAIR. THE FOUR-DAY FESTIVAL HAS FEATURED OVER 5,000 PERFORMERS ON 20+ STAGES AND IS ATTENDED BY ABOUT 250,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. CENTRAL TO THE VALUES OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS FOR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE VOICE AND AGENCY IN THE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE CO-CURATION OF THE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES BY OVER 150 COMMUNITY COORDINATORS, WHO ARE PROMINENT ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, AND LEADERS IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND WHO OFTEN PARTNER WITH US ON PROGRAMS YEAR-ROUND. IN 2020, WE MOVED THIS EVENT TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. EVEN WITH ONLY A MONTH TO TRANSFORM, THE ONLINE 49TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HOSTED SIX CHANNELS OF BOTH LIVE STREAMING AND ON-DEMAND PROGRAMS WHICH REACHED OVER 39,000 PEOPLE ACROSS 86 COUNTRIES.THE ANNUAL CULTURAL FOCUS IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO HIGHLIGHT AND WORK MORE DEEPLY WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF CULTURE-BEARERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE 2020 CULTURAL FOCUS: LIVING LEGACIES HAS A FEW COMPONENTS: THE LIVING LEGACIES TOOLKIT TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITIES TO PRESERVE AND DOCUMENT THEIR STORIES; FIELDWORK AND DOCUMENTATION OF INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL 'LEGACY' CULTURE BEARERS; ARCHIVING AND DIGITIZATION OF NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF PHOTOS AND AUDIO RECORDINGS, AND; (4) THE PRODUCTION OF PODCASTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JACK STRAW CULTURAL CENTER. THIS WORK WILL CONTINUE IN FUTURE YEARS.OUR YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS INCLUDE A FEW COMPONENTS. OUR BIG NEIGHBORHOOD FOSTERS INTERGENERATIONAL AND INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE THROUGH MOVEMENT-FILLED, PARTICIPATORY PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS GEARED TOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THIS PAST YEAR, SIMILAR TO THE FESTIVAL, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND OFFERINGS WERE PRESENTED VIRTUALLY. PRXIMA GENERACIN AND UNBROKEN CIRCLE BRING TOGETHER YOUTH AGES 13-18 TO COLLABORATE ON VARIOUS FORMS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND TO FOSTER THEIR GROWTH AS AGENTS OF CHANGE. PRXIMA GENERACIN PROVIDES A SPACE FOR LATINX-IDENTIFYING YOUTH TO COLLABORATE, SHARE IDEAS, INTERACT WITH LOCAL TEACHING ARTISTS, AND WORK WITH CULTURAL MENTORS TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP THEIR ARTISTIC 'VOICE AND EXPRESSIONS. UNBROKEN CIRCLE EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO TRANSMIT THEIR PERSONAL, LOCAL, AND CULTURAL HISTORY THROUGH THEIR ART. STUDENTS STUDY WITH A RANGE OF BLUES, JAZZ AND ROOTS MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, AND ACTIVISTS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM OF MUSIC AND ART THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY AND HISTORY OF SEATTLE'S RAINIER VALLEY.IN 2020, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S OFFICE OF ARTS & CULTURE AND THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PILOT THE CULTURAL & CREATIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. ENGAGING IN CAREER CONNECTED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN PAID INTERNSHIPS REPRESENTING DIVERSE FACETS OF WORK WITHIN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES ECOSYSTEM. THIS PROGRAM BOLSTERS NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE'S MISSION AND CHAMPIONS ARTS AND CULTURE AS VIABLE AND FOUNDATIONAL IN COMMUNITY-CENTERED ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT.

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