The North Carolina Heritage Award, a program of the N.C. Arts Council, honors active traditional artists; recognizes artistic excellence in a traditional art; celebrates contributions to communities;
Heritage Award recipients include masters of such traditions as string band, gospel, balladry and blues music; master storytellers;
The North Carolina Heritage Award has honored 120 artists since the program started in 1989. Recipients of the awards range from internationally acclaimed musicians to folks who quietly practice their art in rural and family settings. Many Heritage Award recipients have also gained national and international attention. Arthel "Doc" Watson, Earl Scruggs, Etta Baker, Ray Hicks and 12 others have received National Heritage Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Criteria for selection include authenticity, current and past record of excellence, and significance of the nominees within the context of their particular cultural tradition.
To nominate a traditional artist in your community, please review the nomination packet at the Arts Council website, which also offers profiles of previous Heritage Award recipients.
For more information on the N.C. Heritage Award program visit http://www.ncarts.org or call (919) 807-6500.
The N.C. Arts Council is part of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, which annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives.
Cultural Resources champions North Carolina's creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state's economy. To learn more, visit www.ncdcr.gov.
