Introduction
Louisiana Folklife Program
The Louisiana Folklife Program, within the Division of the Arts, is designed to identify, document, conserve, and present the folk cultural resources of Louisiana. Everyone and every group has folklore. Folklife includes living traditions, or folklore, practiced and passed on within groups, such as family, ethnic, occupational, and regional groups.
The Louisiana Folklife Commission, a 22-member body is appointed by the Governor to address the special needs of Louisiana's traditional communities and advise the Folklife Program.
It is important to understand certain defining terms to appreciate and understand the richness of folklife. We invite you to visit the Key Folklife Definitions page to develop a sound basis for your exploration of Louisiana folk culture.
The Folklife Program manages the Division of the Arts Folklife grants and initiates projects or collaborates with other organizations to serve the folklife community in Louisiana. For an overview of Folklife Program services, click here. The Program provides technical assistance for Planning Folklife Projects.
The Folklife Program has archived its project files at Louisiana State University Library's Special Collections: Folklife Program Special Collection.
Maida Owens is the director of the Louisiana Folklife Program. Information about her and the many other people who assisted in planning and implementing this program over the years can be found in the Credits.
We welcome your comments and ideas, and if you'd like to link your site to ours, we'd like that, too. Please go to Contact Us/Link to Us.
Other Folklife Organizations in Louisiana
Many other organizations in Louisiana work with our folk cultures. Here are a few.
Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
