NEWS & EVENTS

To submit a calendar listing or items for Folklore Program News, contact the Program Assistant at 608-265-3514.

THE FUTURE OF FOLK

Wisconsin Public Television
"Here and Now"
March 18, 2005
7 p.m.

Professor James P. Leary will be a guest on Wisconsin Public Television's "Here and Now" show, which airs at 7 p.m. on March 18. The show, anchored by Frederica Freyberg, focuses on state news and public affairs. Leary will be talking about Alan Lomax's interest in the Upper Midwest's rich musical heritage as well as highlighting the upcoming Future of Folk event April 14-23.

Academy Evenings in Overture: Lomax and Wisconsin
April 5, 2005

In partnership with the UW–Madison Center for the Humanities Future of Folk Biennial, Professor James P. Leary will present the story of legendary folklorist Alan Lomax, who found the music of the Upper Midwest to be especially fascinating. He persuaded other folklorists to undertake field recordings of Wisconsin folk music for the Library of Congress. The result: 700-plus recordings by Wisconsin folk musicians from more than 25 ethnic groups. Leary will present recordings and information about an ongoing project to digitize this music for easy public access. The talk will be held from 7–9 p.m. in the Wisconsin Studio, third floor, Overture Center for the Arts and is sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters.

The Future of Folk
April 14-23, 2005

What happens to traditional culture in a hyper-mediated age—a time in which authenticity is open to debate, the market rules, and folk traditions are transformed by new cultural practices? The Future of Folk will be a ten-day, public exploration of this question, as well as a celebration of music, art, and community. Featuring UW-Madison folklorists and a wide range of scholars, writers, musicians, artists, and organizational partners, the Center’s third Humanities Biennial will build on the success of Jane Austen in the 21st Century (2001) and W.E.B. Du Bois and the Souls of Black Folk (2003). The Future of Folk is produced in partnership with the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures. More information, a list of confirmed participants, and a complete program schedule check the Center for the Humanities site.

Hmong Tour wins national award

The Madison Children's Museum, the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, the Wisconsin Arts Board and Randall Elementary School jointly were awarded the Dorothy Howard Folklore and Education Prize from the Folklore and Education Section of the American Folklore Society for their collaborative work, the Hmong Culture Project. The Folklore and Education Section of the American Folklore Society awards the annual prize during the annual Folklore and Education section meeting during the American Folklore Society conference each October. This year, the conference was held in Salt Lake City, Utah from October 13-16, 2004. The Committee that honored the project said, "The Hmong Culture Project brings together students, teachers, and community members through a museum and regional studies program to create a tightly textured ethnographic landscape found in Wisconsin. It is at once a resource tool and a document that is comprehensive, inclusive, sensitive, and useful. This project will serve as a model for folklore and education workers and community members who wish to document and educate about their community's cultural development."