The Kentucky Community Scholars Program

The Community Scholars Program of the Kentucky Arts Council is a partnership between the Kentucky Folklife Program, the Folk Studies Graduate Program of WKU, and communities across the state.  It is a training program for individuals interested in documentation and promotion of community culture, folklife, and traditional arts.  Participants become familiar with:

  • Folklife documentation techniques,
  • Ethics of working with communities,
  • Research methods,
  • Presentation of cultural resources,
  • Grant writing, and
  • Project development.

They become part of a community scholars’ network that reaches across the state, promoting and advocating traditional arts and culture by sharing cultural resources with teachers, students, communities, and cultural tourists.

The program is flexible in format and content.  Sessions can be in the form of intensive weeklong institutes or scheduled in monthly intervals to fit the needs of participants.  Likewise, the core curriculum training can be adapted to meet the needs of specific communities and project goals.  For instance, scholars along cultural heritage corridors may need to learn how to coordinate their efforts with tourist groups, while others concentrate on methods of presenting artists in local schools and festivals.

Scholars receive training in documentation, fieldwork, interpretation and presentation.  They adhere to standards of authenticity and quality and can serve as consultants to the development of heritage festivals, heritage sites, and other heritage activities.  They learn presentation techniques such as “narrative stages” and interpretive signage, and could enhance cultural heritage activities in their communities.  Scholars are expected to be up-to-date on community events that are open to tourists.  This could include gospel sings, family reunions, school festivals, jamming sessions, and other small and informal events, as well as major festivals and performances.

Every community in Kentucky could benefit greatly from the work of a local community scholar.  The goal of the Kentucky Folklife Program and its many local based partners is to document and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Kentucky. The development of a network of dedicated community scholars through out the Commonwealth is a major step toward this goal and to foster this vision far into the future.

Bob Gates
Director Kentucky Folklife Program

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