Korean fan dance Secondline, Olympia Brass Band

Welcome

The Louisiana Regional Folklife Program is a branch of the Louisiana Division of the Arts dedicated to the documentation, presentation, and support of Louisiana's varied cultural communities and rich heritage.  Its goals are to preserve the living traditions of those who call Louisiana home, to share them with the public, and to encourage environmental and cultural conservation.

The program is managed by its Director, Louisiana Regional Folklorist Dr. Laura Renée Westbrook, and a graduate assistant provided by its host institution, the University of New Orleans.

In order to document and assist traditional artists, performers, and communities, Dr. Westbrook attends cultural events and celebrations that allow her to connect with people who maintain their cultural traditions, whether they are occupational skills, domestic arts, traditional crafts, music or dance, or seasonal celebrations.  Dr. Westbrook works with community members to develop opportunities for sharing these customs through articles, exhibits, festivals, and numerous other public presentations.  She also writes about Louisiana’s cultural traditions for publications, exhibits, special event literature, and websites.

Individuals and organizations can contact us for assistance in researching traditional culture.  These include individuals, students, historical societies, or parish representatives wishing to enhance cultural offerings in their areas.

Artists, performers, and those who maintain or participate in cultural traditions can find assistance exploring strategies for sharing information about their traditions, publicizing traditional arts they produce, and identifying performance venues.  The Regional Folklorist can also refer individuals and organizations to appropriate grant funding sources.

Festivals, cultural tourism planners, and public event producers can contact us to learn about artists and performers who can be invited to appear at their events.

Learn about grant opportunities by contacting the administrative office at the Louisiana Folklife Program in Baton Rouge, 225-342-8180.

A sampling of finished birds carved and painted by Mr. Al Muller Teresa Augustin and Elsie Bowers with crocheted yo-yo quilt

Contact us if you would like to:

  • suggest traditional crafts, music and dance, or customs
  • document a cultural tradition
  • share your tradition with the public
  • receive assistance interpreting your tradition for public presentation
  • create or enhance a festival, public event, exhibit, or performance
  • develop a cultural center or community arts series
  • plan cultural events for your community

Louisiana’s Newest Cultural Communities

Our current special initiative, the New Populations Project, documents living traditions of Louisiana’s newest communities.  Individuals are encouraged to submit proposals outlining their research interests and, after the proposals are screened by a panel, selected applicants are offered contracts to document a cultural tradition.  Applicants can be graduate students, cultural workers, or adults with some fieldwork experience; community members are especially encouraged to document their own communities and traditions.  The Regional Folklorist also conducts research projects and assists the contract researchers.

Topics thus far have included Chinese domestic arts, Cuban music, Filipino history and cultural traditions, Garifuna music, German history and culture, Guatemalan tamale-making, Hindu East Indian ceremonial customs, Indian classical music, Korean Thanksgiving Day, Laotian New Year festivities, Muslim crafts and clothing customs, Nicaraguan La Purisima ceremonies, and Vietnamese Tet celebrations.  Please contact us to suggest additional topics.

Each project results in an article that is published on the Louisiana Folklife Program’s New Populations website (www.louisianafolklife.org/newpopulations).  See the site for further information.